IFA President Pádraig Walshe told a rally of 7,500 farmers in Ennis yesterday that Government budget cuts in farming "are hitting the small people in the west of Ireland", reports the Irish Times.In the latest in a series of IFA rallies protesting at the cuts, Mr Walshe said: "The Government's cutbacks in the disadvantaged areas and 'suckler welfare schemes' will take €20 million per year out of this region alone. That's €20 million out of your pockets."
Farmers came with banners yesterday from Mayo, Cork, Leitrim, Galway, Roscommon, Tipperary, Limerick, Kerry and Wexford, and were led to O'Connell Square from Ennis Mart by a lone piper from the Tulla Pipe Band who was trailed by 17 large tractors slowly edging their way through Ennis's medieval streets.
