Up to 1,000 tractors on road in farmers' protest

About 1,000 tractors are on the road in the second day of the Irish Farmers' Association's (IFA) protest over declining agricultural incomes.

Convoys left eight towns around the country this morning, heading for Dublin, where they are to hold a protest outside the Department of Agriculture on Friday.

Farmers set off from Lifford, Co Donegal; Ennis, Co Clare; Bandon, Co Cork; Dungarvan, Co Waterford; Adare, Co Limerick; Claremorris, Co Mayo; Oranmore, Co Galway; and Sligo town.

An IFA spokesman said over 150 tractors converged on Cork city at lunchtime, with a smaller number also driving through Limerick city.

He said there had been some traffic disruption along several of the routes but that this was "inevitable". Farmers have been instructed to co-operate with gardaí to minimise disruption, he said.

Around 100 tractors passed through Ballyhaunis town centre on their way to Castlerea, Co Roscommon.

The Fine Gael Leader, Mr Enda Kenny, today urged the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern to intervene in the dispute to begin "constructive dialogue" with farmers and prevent huge traffic disruption around the country this week. He said farmers had now lost faith in Mr Walsh, who "has gone from hero to zero in a few short months".

The IFA president, Mr John Dillon, said yesterday the high turnout showed that "farmers' backs are to the wall like never before". Speaking in Bantry, Co Cork, Mr Dillon said farmers were taking the action to show the Government they were "not going to lie down and die".

"In the past ten years over 20,000 farmers have been forced to get a job off the farm in order to provide a viable livelihood for their families," he said.

Farmers are protesting at what they claim is an erosion of prices paid for milk and livestock that has led to an average 13 per cent decline in farmer's income to €15,000 per annum. The average industrial wage is €26,000, and average public-service pay is €37,000.

The Department of Agriculture has disputed the IFA figures, claiming the average full-time farmer was earning closer to €30,000 per annum.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, said yesterday he was doing all he could to help the farming community. About 400 tractors drove through his hometown of Clonakilty, Co Cork, yesterday.

The president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, Mr Charlie Reilly, said today he was "shocked at the level of misinformation being put forward" by Mr Walsh and claimed the Minister has repeatedly failed to meet with the ICSA, despite numerous requests.

Mr Reilly also said it was "quite bizarre" that Mr Walsh has varyingly described farm income as €45,000 or €31,000. "If the Minister has no idea as to the real level of farm incomes, then how can he even begin to find solutions?" he said.

Of the 1,000 farmers on the road, most are taking part in relays stages of the protest, although some are planning to drive the whole way to Dublin.

The route to be taken by the farmers' protest due to converge on Dublin on Friday.