Farmers share key priorities ahead of Election 24

With days to go before the General Election, farmers at marts in east Galway shared the issues that matter most to them before casting their votes.

A farm retirement scheme, a push for fairer Common Agricultural Policy payments and more investment in the sector are just some of the election promises which have been floated to farmers as the race to win their vote in the Friday's General Election continues.

On a dark November evening, Gerry Earls, a full-time farmer from the village of Bullaun, Co Galway, is attending the livestock sales at nearby Loughrea Co-operative Mart along with his grandson Adam Earls.

Adam, a second-year student, has a keen interest in farming and hopes to pursue a career in agriculture in the future.

For his grandfather Gerry, when it comes to deciding who will win his vote, the administration of farming for future farmers like his grandson and those who have spent their lives in the sector must be examined.

He said: "They have to do something with agriculture and the paperwork farmers have to do.

"The way it is now, they're bringing out schemes and the way they're framed.

"I think it's to get the farmers out of farming because the older generation, which I would be one, are just not able to do all this online."

Ahead of the General Election, the mood around the prices that farmers are receiving for their stock inside the sale ring is more positive.

According to Loughrea Co-operative Mart Manager Kevin Holland, prices at the moment are good news for farmers across the board.

He said: "Sheep prices at the moment are as high as I've ever saw (sic) them...Likewise with the cattle as well, the cattle are at an all time high.

"It's all about supply and demand too, and the supply seems to be getting tighter in the beef so that's why the demand is high at the minute."

Farmer vote high in demand

Also in demand is the farmer vote.

In the last few weeks, election candidates have been canvassing for votes at marts across the region including in Loughrea, where farmers made their priorities clear to the candidates who dropped in.

According to Mr Holland, farmers expressed their concerns about the difficulties faced by young people living on family farms who want to build homes on their own land.

The importance of the retention of the nitrates derogation and the need for more incentives for young farmers to maintain the family farm were also listed as issues that farmers want their public representatives to tackle.

But with just days to go to polling day, has the political message of candidates seeking the farmer vote been well received?

Rose Dolphin attended the Friday night sales at Loughrea Mart.

As a college student training to be a teacher, Ms Dolphin also helps out on the family beef and dairy farm alongside her brother who is studying for his Leaving Certificate next year.

So far she said she is unimpressed with what she has heard on the campaign trail.

"There's no election candidate standing out to me that I think I'll vote for … At the minute there seems to be no future for farming because there's so much cost and there seems to be no reciprocation with money coming in," she said.

"We receive a few grants, but we don't want the grants because we're not receiving a proper price for our milk and for our beef.

"So we have to accept them, we have no other option, but we'd much rather receive a fair price for our meat and for our milk and get no grants."

Anthony Dolan is a full-time farmer from Laurencetown, Co Galway.

When it comes to who he will vote for on 29 November, he is looking for measures that will help to retain young people in rural areas.

He said: "There's a lot of the young people gone to Australia and America and Canada and they can't afford houses in the local area, or can't build a house because there's so much restrictions in the local areas.

"There's every sort of an obstacle put against them and that's the way it is and there isn't much being done."

Greater measures to improve the local economy in east Galway are also on Mr Dolan's wish list as a voter.

"There's a lot of promise there, but there's no new jobs in Ballinasloe or any of them areas for 40 or 50 years. There's no industry coming in or anything like that," he added.

Tax measures are a priority, says Roscommon sheep farmer

Thirty kilometres away farmers at Ballinasloe Mart are also preparing to cast their vote but there are mixed feelings there too about what will win their support at the ballot box.

For John Galvin, a suckler and sheep farmer from Taughmaconnell, Co Roscommon, tax measures are a priority.

He said: "I'd be worried that we'd be taxed on our land value and stuff like that and as every farmer knows, that's not how it works.

Read more Election 24 stories

"You make a living on what you produce, and we get some assistance on top of that, but it's mainly on how well you run your farm and so I'd be worried that that's taken into account."

As a pensioner, Sean Collins from Ballygar is relatively happy with his lot under the current Government, but he outlined how young people trying to access mortgages and buy homes is the biggest problem in his area.

For John Kelly, a farmer from Kilconnell, Co Galway, health and the situation in the country's hospitals is the biggest concern.

As the sales in Ballinasloe come to an end, Donal Miller from Co Offaly, explained that whatever the concerns of farmers, he does not hold much faith in what has been outlined during this election campaign trail.

He said: "Listening to any of the politicians, sure, you know exactly what they are going to say. Like, they'll promise everything but sure what will you get sure?

"That’s going to be another thing."