Huge crowds attended the opening day of the National Ploughing Championships in Mogeely, near Midleton in Cork, yesterday braving enormous traffic jams and threatening weather which left the site in a very muddy condition.
The National Ploughing Association (NPA) which runs the three-day event, promised to review the traffic arrangements overnight because of the long delays in getting to the site. It apologised to patrons for the delays, which hopes to rectify today
However, the focus of the day was on politics with visits to the site yesterday by President Mary McAleese, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and at least four other Cabinet Ministers.
The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon Ó Cuív caused some controversy by claiming that a new strategy was needed for rural development because of the projected decline in the number of farmers to just over 100,000 by 2015.
Calling for a radical and broad rural development policy, the Minister said the recent negotiations on European rural policy was a watershed with a clear shift from a predominant focus on agricultural income support to a new integrated rural development approach. He said the emphasis was on development outside the farm gate.
"For the first time, significant funds have been clearly ring-fenced for general rural development. Because of our unique situation, we are very well-placed to play a significant lead role in developing the new rural Europe," he said.
But Irish Farmers' Association president John Dillon accused the Minister of making misleading comments when he said the commission was shifting its emphasis for support of rural development away from farmers to the wider rural community.
He said the Council of Agriculture Ministers' decision was to allocate only the minimum 10 per cent of the next rural development plan to fund non-farm rural development.
"The majority of funding still goes to agricultural competitiveness and land-management schemes which are predominantly targeted at farmers and the agricultural sector," he said.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mary Coughlan, said she would be working with Mr Ó Cuív to ensure proper rural development across rural Ireland.
She did not want to see the whole western seaboard denuded of farming activity, and had pushed important initiatives like the Rural Environment Protection Scheme and waste-management schemes. She said she had ring-fenced the milk quota in western areas to prevent it leaving the more sensitive areas of the country.
The Minister, celebrating one year in office, said the job had proved more difficult and challenging than she had imagined, but she was enjoying the challenge and those who had said the farming organisations would not work with a woman had been proven wrong.
The three candidates who are attempting to become the next president of the IFA also debated their various merits at a hustings organised by the Irish Examiner, which drew a large and attentive crowd.
Opinions were divided on who took the honours - Louth man Raymond O'Malley, Tipperary candidate Ruadhri Deasy or Laois candidate Padraig Walshe.
Numerous launches of reports and products, and other events, will take place here as the event continues this week for another two days.