Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture, Claire Kerrane TD, has expressed solidarity with farmers protesting in Ireland and across Europe today.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) announced that farmers around the country will protest in every county this evening, in solidarity with their European counterparts.

Speaking today, Teachtas Kerrane said:

“Sinn Féin expresses solidarity with the farmers protesting across the country and across Europe.

“Many family farmers are frustrated with mounting challenges they have been facing, and rightly so.

“We know that far too often, farmers do not receive a fair price for their produce, which has been compounded by soaring input costs in recent years.

“As well as this, farmers are increasingly being asked to do more with regard to climate action and biodiversity, and amidst discussion around sustainability and diversification.

“Given the constant policy U-turns farmers have faced from successive Fianna Fail and Fine Gael governments, it is completely understandable that the frustration that farmers in Ireland feel has culminated in the protests taking place today, and in solidarity with their European counterparts.

“Sinn Féin believe that, at a time when much is being asked of farmers, it is crucial that we support our family farmers to deliver and to thrive into the future.

“The family farm is at the heart of rural communities in Ireland, intertwined with the people in those communities and a cornerstone of rural economies. This has been the case for generations and can and should be the role that family farms play for generations to come.”

ENDS