Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture Matt Carthy TD has said that Budget 2021 will be considered a failure by farming families and rural communities.
The Cavan-Monaghan TD added that the only real difference that those who need their car to get to work will notice from the budget will be the additional costs of carbon tax.
Speaking this evening, Teachta Carthy said: “This budget fails our rural communities and farming families. In fact, the only real difference that most will will notice from the budget will be the additional costs of the carbon tax.
“This budget could have delivered a new vision for our family farmers. Sinn Féin’s Suckler Beef Scheme would have provided those farmers who need support the most a payment of up to €300 per cow in recognition of the value of their product to the environment and to the Irish agri-food industry as well as rural economies. This, and other Sinn Féin proposals, would have helped revitalise Irish farming.
“The government’s measures, on the other hand, lack ambition. The so-called Covid Beef scheme appears to be a temporary and pale imitation of Sinn Féin proposals. There is nothing in the budget that will encourage new entrants into farming.
“The budget simply doesn’t deliver for rural communities.
“The €25 million allocated to Brexit self-admittedly relates to regulatory import controls – this is not funding that will find its way into pockets of people in rural Ireland.
“The government suggests additional funds are committed to carry out the same number of bovine TB tests that were carried out in 2019, while omitting the fact that the extra funds are required due to EU penalties as a result of government failures in this area. This is symptomatic of a budget that lacks vision for our family farmers and the rural economy that depends on them.
“All in all farmers and rural dwellers will be underwhelmed by this budget which has already been largely dismissed as a failure by those who had hoped that this would be new departure. Instead, Budget 2021 is a missed opportunity.”
