The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, last night said that he would strongly oppose the reform package announced by Dr Fischler yesterday.
The Minister repeated that the package would have serious implications for Irish agriculture because it changed the way farming has been structured in this State.
He said the plans to cut direct supports paid to farmers from 2007 operated at a very low income level of €5,000.
However, he said farmers should wait and see what would happen in relation to the proposed market support cuts.
"The most disappointing element of this package is that the Agenda 2000 package was not allowed run its course. It is now 2003 and fundamental changes are being proposed," he said.
Mr Walsh said he did not know yet how much damage the reforms could do to the sector, but reports published on Tuesday indicated that the suckler cow beef herd would be cut by 30 per cent because of the reforms.
He said he was determined to oppose the package "very strongly" and he was seeking concerted action and would be meeting the farm organisations later today to discuss the matter.
The package, he said, might be attractive to beef farmers who had other employment, and there could be individual farmers whom the package might benefit.
"However, I believe that the reforms will be seriously detrimental to the agricultural economy and to the overall economy," he said.
He added that his fundamental approach to the forthcoming negotiations would be to preserve the benefits to the sector he had negotiated under the Agenda 2000 agreement and to secure the best possible support system for the sector in the period ahead.