Republican News · Thursday 3 April 2003

Agriculture needs radical change

BY ROISIN DE ROSA

No debate at the Ard Fheis evidenced more clearly the development of Sinn Féin as a party, than the debate on agriculture, fishing and rural development, ably chaired by Pearse Doherty from Letterkenny, Donegal.

Young men and women, many of whom would not have spoken before at an Ard Fheis, gave most articulate, well-informed and angry speeches, condemning the utter neglect of rural communities by successive administrations. It was talk that is not heard in any other political forum in this country, and no debate showed more clearly the need for an all-Ireland approach.

Assembly member Gerry McHugh, introducing the Ard Comhairle resolution, spoke of the serious crisis confronting rural communities, with falling farm incomes and growing indebtedness, which are forcing thousands into poverty or to reluctantly leave the land. "Sinn Féin needs to pro-actively represent farmers' interests in every constituency, and from an all-Ireland perspective, to ensure that the Fischler proposals are not allowed to further damage small farmers, and that the modulated funds Fischler is proposing stay here and go towards rural development in their countries of origin."

Martin Ferris TD spoke of the vital importance of agriculture and rural development. He pointed to the apparent breakdown of traditional voting patterns in many constituencies in the state - where many Independents have been elected on the basis of championing local communities. We, as republicans, he said, know that only an all-Ireland party, Sinn Féin, can hold out the prospect of radical change necessary to reverse the neglect by government and the withdrawal of public services, economic decline and high levels of poverty and isolation.

"On top of all of this, the agricultural sector is now facing into potentially the most radical reform to date of the CAP. Negotiations are just beginning, and it is vital that the Dublin government comes up with concrete proposals that will safeguard the interests of Irish agriculture. They have made none to date."

Damien McGennity took up the same point. He called for an all-island Implementation Body to represent the interests of farmers and rural communities across Ireland, which have been so seriously neglected by the administrations North and South, and which will represent all Ireland interests in the forthcoming negotiations to revise the CAP in Europe.

Assembly member Mick Murphy rounded on Bríd Rodgers for her failure to implement an Irish agricultural policy instead of British policy, and how damaging this had been to farmers' interests, through the animal health, BSE, the lack of compensation, and the disaster of Irish food being sold under a British tag.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, a young councillor from Donegal recently co-opted onto Buncrana UDC, spoke of the disgraceful sell-out of Irish fisheries, which has meant the loss of 36 million tonnes of fish, worth §120 billion, from Irish waters, since the start of the EU in 1973. The Ard Fheis adopted the Ard Comhairle motion for a complete renegotiation of the Common Fishery Policy and the full restoration of the Irish Box.

Crochainn Butler from County Derry spoke of the need for revolutionary action within the forestry industry, and called for a sustainable forestry industry, eco-friendly forestry policy, and the need to address ways of diversification in agriculture, including biomass.

Vincent Wood from Mayo ended the session with a speech that underlined the major importance of rural development and the issue of regional inequality. He pointed out that the development of opportunity, investment, service provision and infrastructure West of the Shannon is a key strategic objective that is "a central equality issue, affecting most people who live outside of the urban conglomerations. It is of vital importance that we address these issues which concern so many of our people."