Gardaí will begin putting traffic restrictions in place this evening for tomorrow’s Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) protest in Dublin city centre.
Some 10,000 people and 16 agricultural vehicles are expected to gather in Merrion Square south at 11.30am. Changes to the route were made earlier today so it will now pass through Merrion Square, Ely Place, Hume Street, St Stephen's Green, Dawson Street, Nassau Street and finally onto Kildare Street for a rally outside the Dáil.
There will be no parking on Merrion Square from 6pm today until 6pm tomorrow. There will be no parking on Molesworth Street from Schoolhouse Lane to the junction of Kildare Street from 12pm - 6pm tomorrow.
Kildare Street will be closed from 12.30pm until about 4pm tomorrow, while there will be rolling road closures in and around the vicinity of Merrion Square, Leeson Street and St Stephen's Green during the march.
Dubbed the “Day of Action”, the IFA said the protest was being held to show the strength of feeling against Common Agriculture Policy (Cap) proposals from the European Commission and to call for no more cuts to farm schemes in the upcoming budget.
IFA president John Bryan said the protest would also focus on the “excessive” margin being taken by supermarket chains to the detriment of farmers and growers.
Last year, about 8,000 farmers protested in Dublin over their treatment by the grocery multiples but this protest is expected to be larger. It will include tractors, milk lorries, cattle trucks and harvesters from all parts of the State. The farm organisation has asked members to close their farms for the day and defer sending milk and other produce out.
