Hi °C | Lo °C Beef Plan movement threatens to get political
The latest meeting of the Beef Plan movement group has said it will start canvassing politicians with local and European elections due in 2019.
The Beef Plan movement took to Monaghan on Wednesday night with a pointed threat to politicians that more needs to be done to protect the failing beef industry.
The group, which wants to take greater control of the beef industry through the establishment of producer groups and the operating of its own abattoirs, has held a series of meetings across the country in recent weeks. In Monaghan, more than 200 farmers attended to hear what the latest farm organisation wants to do to protect the beleaguered beef industry.
Its vice-chairman Hugh Doyle urged farmers to get out and “make things difficult” for politicians in 2019.
“We’ve no problem in making this an election issue (in 2019),” Doyle said.
“If farmers want to go out and make things difficult for their local politicians in every constituency, I’ve no problem with that. If it helps get the message across that beef farmers need help and support then that’s a good thing. Politicians need to be held to account and if we don’t do it, nobody else will.
“We genuinely feel rural Ireland has been thrown under the bus and that the powers-that-be in the Dáil have forgotten about rural Ireland. They need a wake-up call,” he said.
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