Protest in Dublin June 19th

Conmaicne Mara

Qualitymark wrote: »

Perhaps these farmers need to form a different union, one that would represent their interests, if the IFA won't?

Better to have your feet under the table and be able to kick it, than be outside of the house trying to kick the door in.

At the moment.

Capercaille

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Now, further to that, some farmers in the Twelve Bens and Maumturks mountains in Connemara and Owenduff and Neiphin in Mayo were further destocked on two other occasions. Some being destocked 100%. This wasn't voluntary, it was forced.

Was destocking in the Neiphin/Owenduff done to protect the blanket bog in the area? The area now forms part of Ballycroy national park.

I farm 90 hectares of land in Connemara. That land is mostly commonage based on hills and bogland. Apart from my seven hectares of fenced land, the other 83 hectares are all restricted as they are SAC's and NHA's. If you click on the following link for blanket bogs you will see what shareholders on designated commonages aren't allowed to do http://www.npws.ie/farmerslandowners...atsandspecies/

Basically we're not allowed to improve it in any way whatsoever, we're only allowed to graze it at the level the State says we can. In my case the State is completely wrong, as they say I can graze a maximum of 40 blackface ewes on my combined 90 hectares. However I have been pursuing them on this matter and no one will take responsibility for assigning me a correct number. My belief is my correct number is closer to 180 sheep. Just to clarify, headage isn't paid any longer so I am looking to make money from the progeny of these ewes not through a scheme.

What improvements would you make to the land in the SAC's/NHA and how would it affect the land and how would it interfer with designations

Qualitymark

Good God!

What's the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht doing in this at all?

Where is forestry in all this?

Edit: another question: In the 16th century, Petty reckoned Ireland had 11 million acres of pasturage, as against only 800,000 of cultivated land. What's the situation now?

Conmaicne Mara

Capercaille wrote: »

Was destocking in the Neiphin/Owenduff done to protect the blanket bog in the area? The area now forms part of Ballycroy national park.

I imagine it was. Unregulated headage was a disaster. If you were responsibly farming on a commonage to what you thought your share was worth in sheep, but your neighbour wasn't, you still got destocked whether you had 30 ewes or 3,000. Hardly fair.

Capercaille wrote: »

What improvements would you make to the land in the SAC's/NHA and how would it affect the land and how would it interfer with designations

I can make none, due to their designations. If you look at New Zealand, if they spray off their uplands with glypho, reseed and fert them from the air also.

I'm not saying I want to do that, just that I am neither allowed to do it, nor am I payed by the Irish Govt, what the EU say the land is worth in terms of production of public goods.

All commonages are different, not all were over grazed, not all farmers engaged in that. For example in Wicklow, the biggest problem they have is undergrazing!

Conmaicne Mara

Qualitymark wrote: »

Good God!

What's the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht doing in this at all?

Where is forestry in all this?

Edit: another question: In the 16th century, Petty reckoned Ireland had 11 million acres of pasturage, as against only 800,000 of cultivated land. What's the situation now?

Not 100% sure myself, like I said I'm not one of the farmers that was put in that position, I think they are in control of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Either way that Dept. is involved in it.

Won't speak for anyone else regarding forestry but it's not for me. Once you plant land that's it, if you decide later on to revert it to grazing you have the cost of that operation plus you must also plant an equally sized piece of land elsewhere to replace it. Will be investigating it for a parcel of my Dads land this year.

Can't answer your last question, except I recently watched a debate with Deenihan and Ming in the Dail, I believe Deenihan said 20% of Ireland was peatland.

rangler1

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Not 100% sure myself, like I said I'm not one of the farmers that was put in that position, I think they are in control of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Either way that Dept. is involved in it.

Won't speak for anyone else regarding forestry but it's not for me. Once you plant land that's it, if you decide later on to revert it to grazing you have the cost of that operation plus you must also plant an equally sized piece of land elsewhere to replace it. Will be investigating it for a parcel of my Dads land this year.

Can't answer your last question, except I recently watched a debate with Deenihan and Ming in the Dail, I believe Deenihan said 20% of Ireland was peatland.

This weather is no help to getting support.

Conmaicne Mara

rangler1 wrote: »

This weather is no help to getting support.

Not much silage or hay made in this region, bit more prolific with that around Moys areas. Turf and shearing are the jobs here at the moment.

Conmaicne Mara

A bit of breaking news.

At this moment there are a number of farmers in the outer offices of the Minister of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht. They are there demanding the meeting promised to the farmers in the Twelve Bens/Maumturks & Owenduff/Neiphin regions last January between both Deenihan & Coveney.

They are prepared to wait there until that is granted, however long that takes.

moy83

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Not much silage or hay made in this region, bit more prolific with that around Moys areas. Turf and shearing are the jobs here at the moment.

All my silage is done , bar a few round bales of silage this evening and hay at the weekend fingers crossed so I might mosey up . Are the buses still going ?

Conmaicne Mara

moy83 wrote: »

All my silage is done , bar a few round bales of silage this evening and hay at the weekend fingers crossed so I might mosey up . Are the buses still going ?

Yeah I can put your name down? Don't want anyone turning up that there isn't a seat for.

Username John

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

A bit of breaking news.

At this moment there are a number of farmers in the outer offices of the Minister of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht. They are there demanding the meeting promised to the farmers in the Twelve Bens/Maumturks & Owenduff/Neiphin regions last January between both Deenihan & Coveney.

They are prepared to wait there until that is granted, however long that takes.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/farmers-blockade-department-over-inaction-on-beef-633671.html

rangler1

Username John wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/farmers-blockade-department-over-inaction-on-beef-633671.html

Bit of crack for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSwx3HG7pLU&feature=youtu.be

Conmaicne Mara

Username John wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/farmers-blockade-department-over-inaction-on-beef-633671.html

Yeah, knew that was on.

moy83

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Yeah I can put your name down? Don't want anyone turning up that there isn't a seat for.

Ill be sure tomorrow if I'm heading or not (I dont want to take someones seat if I dont turn up ) .
What time are ye leaving galway at ?

micraX

Agriland.ie done a very good realistic report on this protest..

Conmaicne Mara

moy83 wrote: »

Ill be sure tomorrow if I'm heading or not (I dont want to take someones seat if I dont turn up ) .
What time are ye leaving galway at ?

Won't be stopping in Galway, Moycullen nearest to you. Will have a time for you this evening, leaving Clifden 6am as a guide.

Birdnuts

Username John wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/farmers-blockade-department-over-inaction-on-beef-633671.html

I'm glad that farmers are finally focussing on Coveny's stewardship of his brief. His pro-big agri business agenda at the expense of most farmers and particulary farmers in disadvataged and environmentally sensitive areas has been a disgrace. He needs to be told that there is more to Irish farming than the profits of Larry and the lads.

Conmaicne Mara

moy83 wrote: »

What time are ye leaving galway at ?

Clifden 6 am
Recess 6.20am
Maam Cross 6.30am
Oughterard 6.45am
Moycullen 7 am

Take your pick from that. Not sure what time we'll be leaving the big schmoke, but there's a stop for a feed on the way home so wouldn't imagine it'll be midnight or anything like that!

Conmaicne Mara

Posted this earlier, thought I was premature doing so and deleted it

It appears after our hill farmers sat in at Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, that they have secured a meeting with two ministers, as previously promised, regarding the 12 Bens/Maumturks & Owenduff/Neiphin regions.

Roll on Thursday :cool:

I said

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Posted this earlier, thought I was premature doing so and deleted it

It appears after our hill farmers sat in at Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, that they have secured a meeting with two ministers, as previously promised, regarding the 12 Bens/Maumturks & Owenduff/Neiphin regions.

Roll on Thursday :cool:

Good stuff

Conmaicne Mara

Bad situation when you have to send lads the width of the country and set up camp in a Govt. dept. to even get a meeting!

Conmaicne Mara

Prep work done for tomorrow, going to relax for the evening now, looking forward to tomorrow.

Conmaicne Mara

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin

rangler1

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin

Off to Dublin now too

Muckit

Best of luck! Hope all goes well for ye;)

Brown Podzol

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin

Best of luck Con, give em hell. Will you be carrying that poster, I'll look out for you in the Media.

urbanjim1

Went past the protest during my lunch today in town, and fairly good turn out, but pretty sure as soon as the talking stopped I saw a fair amount of fellas start piling into the pubs.

Conmaicne Mara

urbanjim1 wrote: »

Went past the protest during my lunch today in town, and fairly good turn out, but pretty sure as soon as the talking stopped I saw a fair amount of fellas start piling into the pubs.

Not off our buses, we picked up crowd directly after and headed for Enfield.

rangler1

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Not off our buses, we picked up crowd directly after and headed for Enfield.

Don't you you just hate those guys that stand in front of a camera

http://southdublin.today.ie/2014/06/19/news-ifa-protest-farmers/

Conmaicne Mara

rangler1 wrote: »

Don't you you just hate those guys that stand in front of a camera

http://southdublin.today.ie/2014/06/19/news-ifa-protest-farmers/

Up to no good by the looks of them!