ICMSA critical of Dept’s ‘charade of consultation’ around payment dates

Speaking following the latest meeting of the Farmers Charter negotiations, the president of ICMSA said that he was genuinely shocked by the revelation made by the Department at the meeting that Minister McConalogue had signed off on the changed payment dates as far back as February.

Pat McCormack noted that - not alone did the DAFM not inform the farm organisations at the meeting in early March that this was the case - but had instead continued with a charade that this was still part of the negotiations. Mr McCormack said that the tactic was ‘cheap’ and unworthy and that it would be preferable and more honourable to dispense with the notion of consultation altogether than continue with this charade or act.

In addition, the ICMSA President said that a significant part of the delay introduced by the DAFM relates to the two week-extension to the closing date which the Department discussed with the farm consultants but decided not to ‘table’ for the farm organisations – a departure from all previous charters.

Mr McCormack said that farmers were still no wiser as to why the Department had changed payment dates that they must have known are critical for farmer payment schedules and mandates, now left completely adrift. He called on Minister McConalogue to make a statement setting out the reasoning and sequence.

“ICMSA has always tried to show the proper respect and act in good faith. That’s why we think that we are entitled to ask for the same in return – for ourselves and for all farmers. That has categorically not been the case on this issue. We have been treated very shabbily and bluntly unless the Minister has some valid reasoning that he can explain then we think it would be better to just abandon the Farmers Charter than allow it to continue in this devalued state. The process needs to have its credibility restored and the only person that can do that is the person who destroyed its credibility: Minister McConalogue,” concluded Mr McCormack.