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ONE THING THAT Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael agree on, is that Irish tillage farmers are struggling to get by – and emergency funding should be considered to solve the problem.
This year in particular has been a bad year for farmers of crops and grains.
Mairead McGuinness, Fine Gael MEP, said that among the issues creating this year’s ”perfect storm” for tillage farmers were appalling rainfall, poor prices and poor yields.
Farmers cannot get the harvest completed. They’re looking out at crops that have been decimated by rain, the grains are sprouting so they’d be useless even if they did manage to salvage them, and apart from the financial strain there’s huge stress on farmers.
Hundreds of farmers, particularly those along the west coast, have been badly hit by heavy rainfall this summer, which has seen much of their crop yields destroyed and has left a lot of farmers struggling to get by.
McGuinness went onto say that this issue is “not receiving enough attention because other sectors of farming are also struggling”.
Farmers have been slow to come forward in the tillage sector, but they’re doing it now because they’re in stress, in anguish and in pain and we need to respond to that.
McGuinness also called on Phil Hogan to provide an emergency fund for tillage farmers, similar to that for the dairy farming sector, to support farmers through this tough year.
Fianna Fáil spokesperson for agriculture Charlie McConalogue agreed that emergency funding should be discussed, and has raised the issue in the Dáil, saying:
“Tillage incomes have been decimated over the past number of months.
Teagasc estimates that the average income will have fallen by €14,000 to €20,000 this year. Any further losses as a result of a ruined summer harvest would be disastrous for these families. The Minister must act to help them.
“Farmers have watched their livelihoods disintegrate before their eyes – the price that they are getting for their crops is now substantially below production costs and many are really struggling to stay afloat.”
He then called on Minister Michael Creed to set up an emergency fund to help farmers ”as a matter of urgency” and asked that it be raised at a European level.
“I am urging Minister Creed to stand up for Irish tillage farmers and begin a discussion on an emergency package for these hard pressed families.”
Mental health
MEP McGuinness also said that although money would help the issue, there was also a wider concern over the mental health of farmers.
At the Ploughing Championships I talked to one farmer, probably in his 60s, who said he would not tell his wife about the pressures he’s feeling at the moment – although I’m sure his wife actually knows.
The MEP urged farmers who are stressed to share their worries with their loved ones, and welcomed organisations who encouraged that people speak up about their concerns.
If you need to talk, contact:
Additional reporting by Karen Coleman (interview and audio)
Was always going to happen but the 14 day quarantine just makes it worse.
Hopefully that can be dropped soon to allow certain”safe” travel , notably within EU
@BrianG: those 14 days could be what’s saving you and your job for now. We just don’t know anymore than that now.
@BrianG: that 14 day quarantine is not going to go away unless a more instantaneous method of testing for covid becomes readily available and done at all airports. If that’s the case then excellent, but don’t hold your breath on anything changing.
@Paul Cunningham: I can’t see how it’s going to be workable universaly. My preference would be the proposed air corridors with countries where the virus spread in not significant and in decline (most EU countries) and quarantine for others
It is not straightforward, but we seem to be following rules (2m, 14 days) set by the worst country in Europe, the UK, and not what our EU partners are doing
@Paul Cunningham: why should there be a quarantine with a country that has similar or less levels of the virus?
Sad to see but there’s a lot more to come. Hard times ahead.
466Euro one way to Malaga July 18th per person. They aint encouraging people to fly.
@Ken Fitzsimons: the prices are that high as there are limited seats and most of them have been bought.
@Ken Fitzsimons: I’d suggest playing around with your dates a little if you can. You will get it a lot cheaper than that.
@Ken Fitzsimons: Aer Fungus never disappoint. 500 less staff to pay and then screw everyone for a seat on a plane. Makes great business sense. Look up its Aer Fungus
@Ken Fitzsimons: I have bought today tickets to Vienna for 45 euro in mid August. It’s worth to look around for different dates/destinations.
I love how Darren O Rourke “call’s on the government to intervene and use its influence to protect jobs”
The industry is in turmoil unfortunately and it’s going to be for a long time yet.
@Keith Synnott: protect jobs how exactly? Keep people on the payroll despite virtually zero income and bearing the costs of leasing and maintenance in the meantime. Unless they have anything constructive to offer I wish the Shinners would just keep quiet instead of flapping their mouths for the sake of it.
That said, I sympathize with the employees of any company who find themselves in this position through no fault of their own.
@Paul Shepherd: both of those are the points I made. It was a sarcastic use of the word love.
@Paul Shepherd: im sure you do feel sorry for employees that did not get a pay increase for years under the Green Field agreement that kept the airline afloat. Now they screw the employees,and you feel sorry for Aer Lingus. The tax payers pick up the tab for this crowd. Less money in taxes for gardai, doctors, nurses, etc. Your sympathy is appreciated im sure for the staff.
@Keith Synnott: as was my comment….
This was always going be on the cards as a way for employers to screw over employees using the pandemic to change work practices etc.
I’m sure the PPE flights to Beijing is keeping them some how afloat with the government paying for the flights.
I’m surprised the Journal never picked up on the story regarding the demands from Aer Lingus to their staff, And how the government funded broadcaster had the info before the employees.
@Dave Byrne: Aer Lingus will operate c. 300 flights in June 2020 DUB-PEK-DUB (if it continues for full month base on 10x flights a day – 5 to PEK and 5 back to DUB). In June 2019, Aer Lingus had just over 10,000 flights scheduled. Since when would approx. 3% of operations keep any business afloat?
@Bran Brans: Do you know how much they be getting for those flights I can tell you its not cheap, And yes I know the that these flights are only a small percentage of the total operations that EI operate currently.
But as I’ve said companies will and have used recessions etc to slash and burn employees T&C.
@Dave Byrne: I don’t know what they’re getting for each flight, but, given a B777F would cost c. $900k Europe – China – Europe in Apr/May (during peak) and the EI A330 (either -200 or -300) would hold approx. 30% of what a 777F will hold, lets just say for arguments sake, EI get $450k per rotation (50% of B777F cost). That equates to $13.5 million in June 2020. Aer Lingus revenue in 2019 was €2.125 billion. That works out at €177 million revenue per month vs. the €12 million EI are now generating. Less than 7% of expected revenue. How can you say they can possibly even hope to maintain their current cost base when their revenue is down c. 93%? Also, the market is showing very little signs of recovery, 14 day quarantine or not. Even the most optimistic outlook is taking about 2022.
@Bran Brans: 900k for a 777F from Europe to China and back ? I know the industry is hurting at the moment.
But you have not replied regarding companies taking advantage of this pandemic, Have EI being in receipt of the Covid payment what about the funds the parent company has?
@Dave Byrne: Yes, during peak in Apr/May and in some cases $1.2m. Not at those levels now but still well above ‘normal’ times. I have no doubt some companies are taking advantage of this pandemic but, in case of the airlines in particular, it really is worrying. IAG is a good company and has money in the bank but, it is burning through that rapidly and needs to ensure it’s survival for post-COVID 19. I don’t think there is anyone in Aer Lingus making these decisions lightly. I’m not sure about when the COVID payment will continue to, but it’s not going to be around I assume in 2-3 months from now. By then, EI will still be flying a skeleton schedule and the PEK flights will be long gone.
Why dont they change the name to British Airways?
@Paul Mc: because Aer Lingus is a strong brand
@Paul Mc: because they are a separate company, both within a parent company IAG
@Kevin Davy: he he strong brand, are you kidding. A small airline owned by a Spanish company. A mish match management that are controlled by an Irishman that wanted to buy out the airline
@Paul Mc: because people like me wouldn’t get on their planes.
@Bornicks eyes.: better check the Aer Lingus plane you’re getting on hasn’t been repainted and reregistered then!
Aviation industry is probably going to be one of the last things to recover from this.we more or less have this virus under control.the problem is opening our borders to countries that still have it which could be a while away yet
A thought for the Workers and their Families at this terrible time
Is this 500 in addition to the 900 previously announced or are they revising that down to 500?
Sure dont worry FORSA will co- operate with Aer Lingus and get rid of lots of members and do as they always did and sell their members down the swany. Sure Landers did it for years and his legacy lives on. Useless union that ought to be ashamed of themselves and have the cheek to charge members for screwing them.
Right now I wouldn’t go past the turf stack,right now we’re filling fertilizer bags full of turf and storing them in the back kitchen. ” I know Dublin people are thinking ” what’s a turf stack.??
There does not seem to be any mention of the ratio of flt crew to grd crew. I would presume it would be across the board. There is more than Aer Lingus as an aviation employer in the country. We do a lot in the maintenance sector and they are all quietening down also
@Joe_X: crew were ‘offered’ a 50% pay cut and have to take on a lot of other duties plus lose the right to book their leave for about 2 years. Pay restoration at the companies discretion (in other words won’t happen). If they didn’t accept it’s was blanket firings and 70% pay cut forced on them.
The company is sitting on 900million euro of cash reserves. Tax payer currently paying their flight crew with COVID payment like all other industries. Their operations are drastically reduced but so are their costs, fuel, IAA costs etc. They are abusing the situation to screw the staff (primarily cabin crew) to make more money. Simple as.
Here we go. I bet Shannon first
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