Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture Brian Stanley TD has criticised the European Commission’s announcement of an €80million package to be spread across 27 Countries as well below what is required to protect the Agri-food sector in Ireland.

Teachta Stanley said:

“Farmers and all those who work in the food supply chain have done an incredible job so far to keep food on the table during the Covid-19 crisis, but we are now facing into a period of potential crisis for beef farmers and dairy markets.

“Yesterday’s announcement by the European Commission falls well short of the bare minimum expectations of the Irish Agri-food sector.

“The package comes to a total of € 80million to be spread across all 27 EU states. The ICMSA has calculated that this will equate to a paltry €8 per farmer in the EU.

“The only real measure to welcome as part of this package is the limited access now available to Irish farmers through Aids to Private Storage, which will ensure that dairy and meat producers can store excess produce for up to six months.

“Farmers have waited patiently since the beginning of this crisis for the EU to bring forward proposals and they deserve much greater support than this.

“I am calling on Minister Michael Creed to engage with his European counterparts and to negotiate a stronger EU aid package for farmers.”