HUNDREDS OF farmers disrupted the opening by Taoiseach Brian Cowen of a new section of motorway in Ballinasloe, Co Galway in a protest over cuts in farm payments.
An estimated 400 farmers arrived at the stretch of road where the Taoiseach was performing the opening ceremony. The new dual-carriageway will link Athlone with Ballinasloe and is part of the upgrading of the Dublin to Galway motorway.
The protesters, drawn from counties Galway, Roscommon and Offaly, used klaxons and loudspeakers to partially drown out the speeches that were made at the opening. They were protesting against cutbacks in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme and the Disadvantaged Area Scheme, which they said had particularly affected farmers in the west of Ireland.
Michael Silke, the Connacht vice-president of the Irish Farmers’ Association said the protest was being held to allow farmers vent their anger about the threat the cutbacks were posing to their livelihood. “It was an opportunity to let [Mr Cowen] know about the seriousness of the cuts that he is imposing on farmers in the west of Ireland,” said Mr Silke.
For his part, the Taoiseach said that the Government would ensure that there would be resources to meet the commitments for those already in the schemes. “In relation to any agri-environment programmes we have in the future we constructively channel our energies and our budgets to see what we can do for the future for people.
Asked about the angry tenor of the protest, Mr Cowen said that in a democratic society people had a right to protest.
“I have been 25 years in politics. I have seen many issues arising where people have a right to put across their point of view.”
