A letter of protest to the British prime minister, Tony Blair, is to be handed in to the British embassy in Dublin tomorrow by the Irish Farmers' Association, reminding him that he was party to a commitment on Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) funding in 2002.
The letter, signed by IFA president John Dillon, says he was concerned and dismayed at his criticism of EU farm and rural development policies during the recent EU leaders' summit.
"British chancellor Gordon Brown's position, as outlined in the Mansion House speech, is particularly prejudicial towards Ireland, where agriculture and food production is a significant sector in the economy," says the letter.
"It is disingenuous of the chancellor to blame EU agriculture spending for the stagnation of the mainland European economies. It is a matter of record that, in the autumn of 2002, the EU heads of government, including the UK, agreed to fix the Cap budget up to 2013. Furthermore, the Cap budget for the EU of 25 was fixed at a level no higher than that previously applying to the EU 15," it says.
The letter says when the Luxembourg Cap reform took place in 2003, both commissioner Fischler and the Council of Ministers promised farmers a period of stability and budget security.
"It is very misleading of you to portray the Cap budget as being so large that it deprives other important areas such as science and technology ... " it says.
"The reality ... is that the EU budget relative to the national budgets of member states is very small - only €2.40 of every €100 of public expenditure in the EU is allocated through the central EU budget.
"In the 25 member states, all the major areas of public expenditure ... are the responsibilities of national exchequers." continues Mr Dillon's letter.