James Bannon (Fine Gael)

The farm leaders.

When the proposals were first mooted in July 2002, there was no mention of reform or review of the dairy sector. Now, however, this devastating blow has been dealt. Jobs will be lost, farms will be abandoned and communities and individuals will suffer. The IFA estimates that up to 10,000 dairy farming jobs will be lost with 3,000 more in the processing sector. These figures are dismissed by Commissioner Fischler but the indications are that the Irish dairy industry stands to lose €339 million by 2007, with a far reaching effect on the economy.

Ireland's loss will be a gain for countries such as the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Poorer countries in Africa and Latin America also stand to gain from this disaster for Irish farming. They will gain because they can produce food more efficiently and in greater quantities than we can and because their sectors are not being undermined by subsidised exports from Europe. What is seen as a long-term plan for sustainable agriculture within the European Union could more suitably be described as a development driven by the world trade agenda. The Fischler reform involves a shift away from Irish and European dairy farmers towards farmers in low cost developed countries such as New Zealand and Australia.