The Green Party 'doesn't care about farmers'

One of the issues the newly-elected chairperson of Westmeath IFA admits to finding it difficult to get his head around is how such a small arm of government as the Green Party can have such “a huge say” in the shaping of policy, particularly, in relation to farming.

Richard O'Brien from Clonbonny, and a member of the Fardrum branch of the IFA, says he has “huge concerns” about what he describes as “the Green agenda” and is also very concerned about the fact that there is virtually no opposition at the moment in Irish politics.

The newly-elected IFA chairperson says “we have to get away from the narrative that is out there that farmers are solely responsible for ruining the planet” as he feels nothing fruitful can be achieved by adopting such an adverserial approach.

In his role as vice-chairperson of Westmeath IFA for the past two years, Richard O'Brien says he has attended many meetings with Department of Agriculture officials, and even with the Minister, on various policy issues only to discover that the policy was “already decided before the meeting ever took place”.

While the Minister and his officials are willing to meet with the IFA “so that they can ask us our opinion” according to Richard O'Brien, he is keen to stress that the views of the organisation are “not being taken on board” and this is something he would hope to tackle during his two-year term of office.

The new Westmeath IFA chairperson has a packed agenda for the next two years, but he is looking forward to the challenge and is willing to confront the many issues facing farmers “head on” during his term of office.

“I won't claim to know all the problems or all the solutions, but I am willing to open my eyes to what is going on and I am also willing to open my mouth when I get the opportunity and be a strong voice for local farmers,” he says.

He is grateful for the fact that he has built up “a very strong bond” with the elected officers of Westmeath IFA through his close involvement with the organisation over the past eight years – four of which he has spent serving on the Rural Development Committee, which is a national body – and he feels this close relationship will stand him in good stead going forward.

The new chair also paid tribute to his predecessor, Bernie McCarthy, from Kilbeggan, who managed to steer Westmeath IFA through some very “choppy waters” over her four year term, including the huge challenge of Covid, and “dealt with all the challenges put in front of her”.

The IFA has over 70,000 members nationally, 1,500 of whom are based in Westmeath. Like many organisations, the age profile of members is something that give cause for concern to Richard O'Brien, and he is keen to attract a younger cohort of members.

“It is going to be a challenge,” he admits, “but there is huge power in an organisation that has 70,000 members nationally if that power is harnessed properly, and farmers do need a very strong voice, particularly when the narrative is out there is that we are destroying the planet.”

Richard O'Brien describes himself as a farmer who specialises in “a bit of everything” from suckler cows to growing corn to keeping a small number of sheep on the family farm of his father, Dick, who has been a lifelong member of the IFA and joined it back in the early days when it was known as the NFA.

While his dad, who would be very well-known in the farming community, is no longer actively involved in the day to day running of the farm, he “keeps one hand on the reins” according to Richard, and is very keen to see his son continue the strong farming legacy of the O'Brien family.

Richard's wife, Aisling, works in An Post, while their four children are all ploughing their own furrows at the moment, with their youngest, Charlie, currently studying for his Leaving Cert in Athlone Community College. Cian, their eldest son, has been working in Australia since last September, while another son, Robert, works in Intel. Their only daughter, Aoife, is in her second year of an Arts Degree in NUI Maynooth and hopes to pursue a career in teaching.

Richard says one of the challenges facing Irish farming is the proliferation of huge farming enterprises, especially in the dairy sector, and the demise of small farm holdings. “I feel we are going to end up with a lot less farmers and a lot more big farm enterprises and that is not going to be good for rural Ireland.”

He feels there is “not enough focus” on rural Ireland at central government level, and laments the demise of rural staples like the local shop and pub where farmers could meet each other and have a chat. “Many farmers work on their own and it can be a lonely existence so they do need the social outlet of meeting each other in an effort to combat rural isolation,” says Richard O'Brien.

While he is keen to point out that farmers are more than willing to “do their bit” for the environment and were already contributing to the green agenda “long before it became fashionable” he is adamant that “far too many controls” are being imposed on farmers at the moment.

“Every time we turn a corner there is a new law or a new rule,” he says, “more and more challenges are being put in front of us every day and a lot of it has to do with the agenda being set by the Green Party.....the Green Party doesn't care about farmers."

Richard O'Brien is determined to challenge this narrative during his term of office and says the goodwill shown to farmers during the Covid lockdowns when they continued to work and provide food for the nation has long since evaporated. “As the old saying goes, eaten bread is soon forgotten,” he adds.