Feb 11th, 2009

ICMSA say Government has broken its word and reached new low as they renege on €400M Farm Waste Management Grants

Following the announcement by Minister Smith that, contrary to its contract with farmers, the Government will now pay the monies owed the farmers over a three-year period instead of in a single lump sum, farm organisations have reacted with fury. The ICMSA’s President, Jackie Cahill, has said the Government had broken its word and had reached a now low.

“The Government has reneged on absolutely clear-cut contractual obligations to farmers and in so doing they have reached a new low. They have misled farmers and forced unnecessary and ruinous costs on us to an extent that will place thousands in extreme difficulties with their banks. We have been treated with contempt and the fact that such behaviour comes from those in the most privileged positions makes matters worse. The divide between those who are being forced to pick up the cost of catastrophic errors and those who have insulated themselves from the results of their own decisions is now complete. ICMSA now insists that the Government pay the full interest costs associated with their breaking of their own word and make arrangements with the banks so that this disgraceful default does not cost the blameless farmers any interest or interfere in any way with their cash-flow or borrowings”, said Mr Cahill.

BACK TO 2009 ARCHIVES