Joe Healy, president of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), urges Irish Minister of Agriculture, Food and Navy Michael Creed to “waive all conditions” associated with the deployment of the much-anticipated 100 million euro “beef fund”.

In accordance with the draft European Commission Decision on the “Implementation Act” of Ireland’s assistance in the beef sector, the EU financial package includes funds from the European Commission in the amount of 50 million euros in conjunction with an additional fund of 50 million euros from the Irish government.

But, the draft resolution stipulates that these means of support will be provided only on the basis of “specific criteria” or conditions.

These conditions provide for a “reduction of production or restructuring of the beef and veal production sector” in Ireland, plus the implementation of other additional measures at the farm level aimed at increasing their sustainability.

This draft resolution of the European Commission reflects the “preliminary views” of its services, sent to EU member states for comment, and is not yet the official position of the commission. However, the IFA on the evening of Thursday, June 6, opposed such warnings in distributing the "beef fund."

“Minister Creed must reject all the conditions in the draft regulation that are not related to the actual loss of income for beef and milk farmers,” said Joe Healy.

“This Brexit Beef Fund is designed to offset the retrospective loss of beef prices that farmers have already suffered, and restructuring is a completely separate issue. Help should not depend on restructuring, ”Healy said.

The President of the Irish Farmers Association emphasized that “every cent” of the fund “must go directly” to farmers and “under no circumstances” can any of them be redirected to another place.