The President of the IFA says they’ve been assured there will be a new Agriculture Minister by the end of next week.
Tipperary farmer, Tim Cullinan, met with Taoiseach Mícheál Martin last night to discuss the disruption in that department, which has seen two ministers resign in a matter of weeks.
Speaking to Tipp FM News today, Tim says a new minister is due to be appointed:
“We got a reassurance from the Taoiseach. The Dáil is going to reconvene next week, so there will be a nomination going forward for a new Minister for Agriculture.
“All going well, we will have a new Minister in place by the end of next week, which is critical for Irish farmers at the moment.
“My job is to work with whoever the Taoiseach decides to put in place. I’m not going out putting names out there. It will be the prerogative of the Taoiseach.”
Issues like CAP, Brexit and October’s budget were also discussed, while the importance of the EU Commission’s trade portfolio to Ireland was also emphasised by the IFA to the Taoiseach.
However, Mr Cullinan refused to be drawn on whether or not Phil Hogan should resign in the wake of the golfing controversy last week:
“It’s very frustrating for us and as a lobby group, we don’t get involved in saying who should be in place but what I am very, very clear about [is that] we’re coming to a period in time where we’re coming to the end-game on Brexit and there will be a trade deal between now and the end of the year.
“It’s very, very important that we have the right people in place to ensure that the maximum be got out of that trade deal for Ireland.”
