Sinn Féin to host ‘Protecting Irish Family Farmers’ Public Meeting in Cootehill on March 6th
Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus will return to Cavan on Monday the 6th of March to host a public meeting in Errigal Hotel in Cootehill at 8.00pm. Speakers will include Local farming association Representatives alongside local Sinn Féin TDs Pauline Tully and Matt Carthy.
Speaking in advance of the public meeting, MacManus said:
“I am looking forward to engaging with local family farmers on the 6th. We are encouraging people from local farming communities to attend our public meeting in Cootehill to have their say. This is a time of great difficulty for many of our family farmers and people in rural Ireland. Many are tired of being ignored by the state and taken for granted.”
“In the last year it has become more and more apparent that we need a change of government, not just a change of Taoiseach to ensure the future survival of the family farm model in Ireland, a model that is the very core of rural Irish communities. The cosy arrangement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and their urban-centric view towards rural Ireland has delivered little or nothing for family farmers and rural communities who are crying out for something different.”
“Their very existence is under threat and policy decisions in Dublin are not factoring in their concerns. There are genuine fears that the future of farming in Ireland will go the way of the U.S. where family farming was wiped out and replaced by large factory farms operated by large private corporations with no regard for rural communities or the environment.”
Cavan TD Pauline Tully who will chair the event said, “Family Farmers are the beating heart of our communities. These public meetings are vital in informing our work at a national level. We get to hear first-hand the issues facing our rural communities allowing us to represent those views and find solutions.”
Matt Carthy TD, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Agriculture said, “I’m looking forward to speaking at this event and more importantly hearing from our farmers and rural communities. Many farmers in Cavan and Monaghan are just barely getting by. Between the Cost of Living Crisis, the fallout from Brexit, rising expenses such as Fertiliser prices or insurance, it is a difficult time for many. Meetings like this allow us to fully understand the issues facing farmers and hold the current government to account. It’s also an opportunity to hear the views of Farming Associations and for the public to join that conversation. Public meetings are all about grassroots engagement with the people we represent, so I would encourage people to attend this event on March 6th in Cootehill.” ENDS
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