Farmers have been conned by EU Commission

Press Statement by Chairmen of 'Farmers for No' James Reynolds about today's EU Commission proposals on inheritance law:

"Farmers have been brazenly lied to by the EU Commission in order to get Lisbon passed. Now Lisbon has been passed the EU Commission is putting in train everything it denied would happen during the recent Treaty debate. It's patent dishonesty is repugnant to all decent people.
"Commission has just announced a move on inheritance law without even a glance at its denials that it would do so during the Lisbon referendum.
"As Farmers for No have said, eaten bread is quickly forgotten. Now, Ireland has voted Yes and is, so to speak, 'in the bag', the EU Commission will throw every proposal it wants on us and there is nothing the IFA leadership can do about it. Farmers have been conned."

James Reynolds is Longford-based Cattle farmer.


At the launch of Farmers for No on August 20, we said

EU Commission proposals on inheritance law harmonisation, if fully implemented, would mean that Irish farmers will not be able to pass on their family farm as a single working unit to one of their children in the future.
The partial harmonisation of inheritance codes throughtout the EU as proposed by the commission will mean the continental judicial system in this matter would prevail over the Irish Common Law system. It would mean a reserved portion of the deceased's property would have to go to the children of the deceased in equal portion.
Those countries with the Napoleonic Code insist that one cannot leave property as one wishes, but that all children have an equal share.
This would mean the family farm would have to be broken up or sold.

In May this year, the EU Commission dropped the proposals to partially harmonise inheritance law throughout the EU until after Lisbon is voted on. This move was cynical and beneath contempt. Irish farmers want and deserve transparency of this issue.

Farmers for NO drew attention to two articles which gave outline to the EU Commission proposals, one in the The Irish Times
another in the European Voice 14th May 2009.


The EU Commission denied what we said about their proposals


Response to reported claims "Farmers for No" on the impact of the Lisbon Treaty

21/08/2009

The statements of the Irish farm lobby group (Farmers for No) on the Lisbon Treaty and on EU policies, quoted in today's press, are factually incorrect and misleading. They represent a totally distorted picture of the reality.

The European Commission wishes make the following points:

• Claims that succession rights will be affected by EU proposals

There is no threat from the EU to farm succession rights. This is a matter that will continue to be governed by national rules and traditions. The issue of succession rights are not a European competence.

Yet in the press today [Irish Examiner] there is an article outlining the EU Commission new proposals to introduce proposals that people can choose their jurisdiction when cross border property is being inherited.

He [Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot] proposes people should be able to choose whether the law of the country where they live or the country where the assets are, applies to the will.

......... the proposal will take some of the stress out of succession planning by allowing people to choose the law that will govern the transmission of all their assets," he said.

The rules would not change the national rules on succession – on the continent, spouses and children cannot be disinherited and are entitled to a fixed share of assets normally.

Lisbon Vote is D-Day for Irish farmers

Press Release by Farmers for NO
Statement by James Reynolds, chairman of 'Farmers for No'.

'Friday will be D-Day for farm families and the rural community in Ireland.

'Government research found that 48 per cent of farmers voted No to Lisbon last year, Farmers for No calls on each on every member of the rural community to come out on Friday and vote no again.

'Vote No to protect your economic self-interest.

'The Irish TImes explanation on LIsbon today said : THE LISBON Treaty increases the areas that decisions are made in the Council of Ministers via qualified majority voting (QMV) rather than requiring a unanimous decision supported by all 27 EU member states."

'It is clear that Ireland will weaken its negotiatiing position by halfing its vote at the EU Council of Ministers or by handing away vetos at the same Council.
Ireland is currently at the political heart of the EU, because we are important - they need us. Once we vote Yes, we immediately become an irrelevance - as eaten bread in quickly forgotten. We cannot improve our economy by halving our vote.

'During the Pat Kenny show yesterday, Pat Rabitte misled people about Labour position on Turkish accession. At the Forum for Europe in November 2006, the three main parties all pledged support for Turkish accession as part of their policy positions.
It is clear Ireland's politicians will not veto Turkish accession - it is up to the people to do so.

'Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president last June said, "No Lisbon [Treaty], no enlargement,". He added that "the Nice Treaty limited the EU to a membership of 27 states."

'Like Sarkozy and Merkel, Farmers for No say that Lisbon is a prerequisite for enlargement. If we vote No to Lisbon, enlargement cannot take place; Turkey cannot enter the EU. A yes to Lisbon allows Turkey in the garden gate, even if a further vote is needed on their specific accession to to allow them in the EU front door. Most people don't know that in July 2009 another chapter of the accession negotiations, the 11th out of 35, was opened.

'Voting Yes and allowing potential Turkish entry to the EU would be an act of economic suicide for Ireland.
First the high number of Turkish farmers would sink CAP payments as we know them.
Secondly the free movement of 75 million people from Turkey around the EU would put huge strain on the labour market.
If Nice brought in half a million economic migrants during a boom, then Lisbon could help bring in half a million migrants at a time of recession. To allow this to happen would be an act of economic suicide.
' I ask people to vote No to Lisbon and protect CAP payments and the balance of the Irish labour market.
Frits Bolkestein, the internal market commissioner in 2004:
"After Turkish entry the EU will simply be unable to sustain its current agricultural and regional policy. Europe would implode." Farmers for No agree with this assessment, that along with the need to hold onto our WTO veto, threatened by art 207 of Lisbon is why we call for a No vote.'
ends

We need voting strength and respect - not mercy says Farmers for No

Press statement

Speaking at the Ploughing Championships, Farmers for No spokesman, David Thompson today said:

‘THE IFA arguments in favour of Lisbon are totally bogus.
If we vote No, Ireland remains a full and active member of the EU, with full access to the EU market and ECB credit etc. Padraig Walsh and Minister Brendan Smith know this of course, but try to hoodwink people with this because they know there are no benefits in the Lisbon Treaty for Ireland.

‘AT the key Council of Ministers, under Lisbon our voting strength will half. We need more than goodwill or mercy when negotiating on behalf of Ireland; we need to keep our voting strength and get respect for our position.

‘Because we voted NO, at the moment, Ireland is at the political centre of Europe.
However, if we vote Yes, eaten bread is quickly forgotten and we become an irrelevance overnight.

‘Article 207 of Lisbon is clear that we lose our World Trade Organisation veto if we vote Yes. This would be a terminal mistake for Ireland and something the Irish people could never forgive the Yes advocates for.

‘Oh yes, the IFA sponsored poll is completely bogus, it is popcorn and propaganda. According to the Millward Brown study after Lisbon, 48 per cent of farmers voted no, in our experience of talking to farmers, the percentage will be even higher this time. Why is it higher? Because farmers notice a bad deal for agriculture and rural Ireland when they see it.’

ends

From the Ploughing Championships

Statement by David Thompson, spokesman of 'Farmers for No', who was speaking from the Ploughing Championships in Kildare today:

‘Agriculture under the leadership of Padraig Walsh, and the whole country under the leadership of Brian Cowen are on its knees. Yet both these people who led farmers to such dire financial circumstances today both advocate a Yes vote.

‘A Yes vote for Lisbon will half Ireland’s vote at the crucial Council of Ministers, and Farmers for NO hold this will damage Ireland’s negotiating strength.

‘It is quite clear from article 207 of Lisbon itself that Ireland also loses its WTO veto. To allow this to happen would help crucify Irish farmers on the untrammelled global market and be detrimental for farm families.

‘Only a no vote to Lisbon can prevent Turkey’s proposed entry into the EU. If it were allowed to go ahead - CAP payments would be decimated and this has no benefits for Irish farmers whatsoever.

‘If Farmers vote NO, we still remain full and committed members of the EU. We’ve got a democratic deficit and a budget deficit; we’ve got to get rid of both. The quickest way to get rid of this anti-Farmer government is to vote No to Lisbon and force Cowen into the knackers field.
Unless we get rid of both Cowen and the Lisbon Treaty, the fate of the fishermen, the beet growers, and the turf cutters awaits Irish farmers.

Farmers must send this Treaty to the historical dustbin to save Irish negotiating strength, and democratic accountability from a corrupt elite who would sell their grandmothers to the highest bidder if they thought they could profit from it.

Yes vote a call for more hyper-regulation

Farmers for No spokesman David Thompson - former Limerick IFA chairman.
re Padraig Walsh's call for Nitrates Directive derogation:

'Farmers have had enough of EU hyper regulation which is strangling our industry and way of life.

'Why should Farmers are being financially crippled by the Nitrates Directive vote for Lisbon and more hyper-regulation?
Why should turf cutters prevented from cutting turf by the EU Habitats directive, give more power to EU bureaucrats.
'No farmer will a an ounce of intelligence will ask for more form filling and hyper-regulation.
'A Lisbon yes vote hands more power and areas of competence over to EU instutitions. It's a bad practice to make this instittutions more powerful but less acccountable.

IFA leader Padraig Walsh would be better off campaigning to keep political power in Irish people's hands rather that begging for a derogation of EU law after it's too late.

The EU was good for farmers in the past. But Lisbon is about the future and things are changing rapidly. There is not more money in the EU for us. Post-Lisbon is going to be payback time for the Irish taxpayer.'

ends

Exert political leverage by voting No to Lisbon

Regarding the IFA Farmers Protest in Athlone today, Farmers for No spokesman,

David Thompson last night said,

'Farmers have been treated so badly for years now, it is right that they protest against their lowering income and this useless anti-Farmer government.

'However, instead of leading farmers on a merry dance to waste their energy, if Padraig Walsh wishes to exert political leverage and get a better deal for farmers, he must use the chief weapon of political leverage by campaigning for a No vote to Lisbon.

The quickest way to bring down our incompetent taoiseach, Brian Cowen, is to vote No to Lisbon. Increasing numbers of FG and Labour voters will vote No to get rid of him; it's about time Padraig Walsh and all IFA leaders did the same. It's also time FF voters put their country first by voting No.'

Pat Cox should practice transparency before he tries to lecture everybody else on it

Pat Cox should practice transparency before he tries to lecture everybody else on it given his Bilderberg attendance, involvement in Eurostat cover-up, and nondisclosure of professional lobby interests.

Press Release from Farmers for No group. Sunday 13th September 2009

Farmers for No spokesman David Thompson:

Speaking from the Agricultural Science Association Conference today at Castleknock Hotel, Farmers for No spokesman Mr David Thompson, a former president of the Agricultural Science Association said it was ‘quite nauseating to hear Pat Cox lecture conference participants about the importance of transparency today when it certainly appears he does not practice it himself.
‘It is absolutely ludicrous for Pat Cox to be preaching about transparency when he has attended a secret and elitist Bilderberg Meeting in May 2003 at the invitation of Peter Sutherland, after which Cox’s attendance was not officially disclosed.

‘This is the same Pat Cox, who while President of the European Parliament agreed with Romano Prodi that the investigative report into wholesale abuse and corruption of the EU budget, called the EUrostat scandal, be kept secret.

‘Only a select group of MEPs were permitted to see the audit and report, and then only in a darkened room, under surveillance from security guards, having been denied the use of a photocopier, camera or even mobile phone, and after having been forced to sign a declaration promising not to reveal the contents of the report. When a hearing was held to discuss the results, it was Cox and Prodi who ensured that the results of the use of taxpayers' money never became public.

‘Corporate Europe Observatory also recently addressed the subject of Mr Cox's lack of transparency. They pointed out that he is director of two lobby firms, Strategic Consulting firm CAPA Ltd and European Integration Solutions, but has chosen not to register these voluntarily with the European Commission's transparency register.

‘Surely Irish citizens who stand to loose democratic powers in the Lisbon Treaty - and taxpayers who can be taxed by the EU under article 311 Own Resources taxation have a right to greater transparency from those who advocate a Yes vote.
Before Pat Cox lectures people on transparency perhaps he could practice a bit of it himself.
‘The Lisbon Treaty makes EU institutions more powerful but less accountable - this is not a good deal for Irish citizens, and that’s why Farmers for No are advocating a No vote.

‘Pat Cox has personal vested interest in getting a Yes vote. He has been tipped as FF choice for next EU Commissioner - that’s a big job with a big salary. Will he give an assurance in advance that he will not accept the role of Irish commissionership if offered to him?
That would be a bit of transparency if only a start.’

ends

David Thompson is spokesman for Farmers for NO.
He is former chairman of Limerick IFA and former President of the
Agricultural Science Association

Background and references

The True Story of the Bilderberg Group
by Daniel Estulin, 2009. Pictures of invites and acceptance by Cox, page 218.

Eurostat cover-up
Book by Marta Andreasen, ‘Brussels Laid Bare’, pgs 106-108.

Corporate Europe Observatory

http://www.corporateeurope.org/lobbycracy/content/2009/08/news-about-cox-conflicts-interest

IFA heads cheerleading more EU hyperregulation and colluding in Yes push with untrustworthy Government who have left farmers in huge debt.

Spokesman for Farmers for NO, current Limerick IFA vice chairman,
David Thompson said Thursday 27/8/09:


'Lisbon transfers power from the Irish people to EU institutions.

'If Lisbon is passed Ireland's voting weight at the key EU Council of Ministers falls from 2 per cent to 0.8 percent.

How can the IFA think that loosing voting strength will help Ireland's negotiating strength going forward?

Where is its evidence a fall in voting strenght will help Irish negotiators?
Where is Padraig Walsh's evidence that 0.8 per cent voting weight puts us at the heart of Europe?

Farmers for NO advocate a NO vote to prevent further hyper-regulation from the EU.
While out of touch IFA leaders are acting as cheerleaders for EU measures the EU Nitrates Directive has placed a huge financial burden on Irish farmers who must comply by taking our bank loans and building slurry sheds.

On top of this Government ministers who advocate a Yes vote, and ask the people to trust them have trashed their contractual obligations to pay the farmers for the sheds they have built under the Farm Waste Management Scheme.

I ask the IFA, why should farmers being financially crippled by the Nitrates Directive vote for Lisbon and more hyper-regulation?

Why should farmers now trust the Irish government who have broken recent contracts and left thousands of farmers in hoc to the banks with huge debts?

Farmers for NO are appalled that IFA leaders who failed to consult local members in a ballot are colluding for a Yes vote with untrustworthy government ministers who have shafted Irish farmers and left them in debt.

Farmers have found to their cost that this government cannot be trusted.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president last June said, "No Lisbon [Treaty], no enlargement,". He added that "the Nice Treaty limited the EU to a membership of 27 states."

Like Sarkozy and Merkel, Farmers for No say that Lisbon is a prerequisite for enlargement. If we vote No to Lisbon, enlargement cannot take place. Turkey cannot enter the EU. Therefore Lisbon is a proxy vote on Turkish entry.

We have produced evidence, where is the IFA leaders evidence for their claims to the contrary?'

'Given that in a debate with me on LMFM on Tuesday morning, Meath IFA leader Eddie Downey said he would welcome Turkish accession talks, would welcome Turkish entry to the EU and did not want to deny anyone the benefits of Europe.

FF, FG and Labour are all on the record as supporting Turkish entry to the EU. Is it now IFA policy to support the EU entry of Turkey?

Does the IFA disagree or agree with former EU Commissioner Frits Bolkestein who said, "After Turkish entry the EU will simply be unable to sustain its current agricultural and regional policy. Europe would implode."?

Farmer for NO holds that if the IFA supports the Lisbon and Turkish entry of Turkey to the EU it will cause the decimation of CAP payments and the destruction of Irish agriculture.


ends
Farmers for No spokesman, David Thompson is currently vice chairman of Limerick IFA and vice chairman of Farmers for No.

Background
Millward Brown study in 2008 found that 48 per cent of farmers voted No to Lisbon.
Farmers for No group has garnered many hundreds of pledges of support since its launch.

Turkish Accession to the EU

The spectre of Turkish accession to the EU continues to loom ever larger. Even though the French and German governments are at this moment opposed to it, they seem to have been unable or unwilling to stop it. All they have done is slow it down. In July 2009 another chapter of the accession negotiations, the 11th out of 35, was opened. The Swedish EU presidency has begun. Sweden has been embarrassingly eager to welcome the Turks into the EU and plans to push the issue forward. Countries like Britain, Italyand Greece are completely in favour of Turkish accession.

EU Socialist group already explicitly support Turkish accession.

After Lisbon, the Ever Closer union is also an Ever Expanding Union, taking in more and more countries.
Just as the Treaty of Nice facilitated the entry and free movement of many people from the new states of Eastern Europe, we are now told that Lisbon will facilitate even further enlargement.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president last June said, "No Lisbon [Treaty], no enlargement,". He added that "the Nice Treaty limited the EU to a membership of 27 states."

Asked whether she agreed with Sarkozy's "No Lisbon, no enlargement" comment, Merkel said the EU's existing institutional arrangements limited the size of the bloc to its current 27 members.

"I agree because the Nice Treaty limited the (European) Union to a membership of 27 states and for me it is unthinkable that we would change one area of the Nice Treaty without looking at the whole of the Lisbon treaty," she said in Brussels.

Both Sarkozy and Merkel have said that Lisbon is a prerequisite for Enlargement of the EU, so the Turkish issue is very pertinant to this debate.
We need a legally binding assurance in advance of Lisbon vote that Turkey will not be admitted to the EU.
We need to define the limits of eastward expansion of the EU BEFORE the Treaty of Lisbon is passed

Those who care about the future of Europe, and see Turkish accession as an economic threat to the potential of Irish farmers, are going to have to mobilise to stop this nightmare from becoming real. Farmers must vote No to Lisbon. To quote Frits Bolkestein, the internal market commissioner in 2004:

"After Turkish entry the EU will simply be unable to sustain its current agricultural and regional policy. Europe would implode."

There is a blog about Turkish acccession.

'Farmers for No' supports - make your voice heard

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Art 81 of Lisbon - judicial cooperation / partial harmonisation of civil law

Article 81 of the Lisbon Treaty contains an article which leans towards a common legal code where there is to be judicial cooperation in civil matters. Of course, succession rights and inheritance law are a civil, not a criminal matter. This means, in light of the EU Commission proposal of partial harmonisation of inheritance law across the EU.

Lisbon Treaty article 81

34
JUDICIAL COOPERATION IN CIVIL MATTERS
Article 81
1. The Union shall develop judicial cooperation in civil matters having cross-border implications, based on the principle of mutual recognition of judgments and of decisions in extrajudicial cases. Such cooperation may include the adoption of measures for the approximation of the laws and regulations of the Member States.

2. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall adopt measures, particularly when necessary for the proper functioning of the internal market, aimed at ensuring:

(a) the mutual recognition and enforcement between Member States of judgments and of decisions in extrajudicial cases;
(b) the cross-border service of judicial and extrajudicial documents;
(c) the compatibility of the rules applicable in the Member States concerning conflict of laws and of jurisdiction;
(d) cooperation in the taking of evidence;
(e) effective access to justice;
(f) the elimination of obstacles to the proper functioning of civil proceedings, if necessary by promoting the compatibility of the rules on civil procedure applicable in the Member States;
(g) the development of alternative methods of dispute settlement;
(h) support for the training of the judiciary and judicial staff.

3. Notwithstanding paragraph 2, measures concerning family law with cross-border implications shall be established by the Council, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure. The Council shall act unanimously after consulting the European Parliament.

The Council, on a proposal from the Commission, may adopt a decision determining those aspects of family law with cross-border implications which may be the subject of acts adopted by the ordinary legislative procedure. The Council shall act unanimously after consulting the European Parliament.

The proposal referred to in the second subparagraph shall be notified to the national Parliaments. If a national Parliament makes known its opposition within six months of the date of such notification, the decision shall not be adopted. In the absence of opposition, the Council may adopt the decision.

FYI: EU aims to harmonise succession law across the Europe

Fears for Lisbon vote prompt delay in EU law
The Irish Times

JAMIE SMYTH in Brussels

Wed, May 20, 2009

INHERITANCE: THE EUROPEAN Commission has delayed a proposal to enable the EU-wide recognition of inheritance claims for fear of upsetting Irish voters ahead of a second Lisbon referendum.

The draft legislation is intended to cope with the increasingly common situation whereby EU citizens live in one country with certain inheritance rules, but they own property in other EU states.

It proposes to introduce common rules for member states to follow on which law should be used to judge such cross-border inheritance claims.

If the Government opted in to the measure, it could ultimately enable foreign laws to be implemented in Irish courts, which is a particularly sensitive issue for the legal profession.

“It was felt that the proposal was too sensitive in the lead-up to the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, which is expected to be held in the autumn. So it was delayed,” one EU diplomat told The Irish Times yesterday.

Senior commission officials, including secretary general Catherine Day, are understood to have pulled the proposal in the spring.

The commission’s 2009 work programme initially proposed that the draft law would be published in March before being sent to the Council of Ministers for debate.

The decision to delay the proposal follows a similar move last year to quietly drop the commission’s controversial proposal to harmonise the corporate tax base in the EU.

This plan was seized on by No campaigners during the first Lisbon referendum and portrayed as a key threat to Ireland’s tax sovereignty even though the Government could choose to opt out of it.

The proposal on recognition of inheritance claims is controversial because it relates to family law, another area where Ireland is seeking specific guarantees related to the treaty.

The European Voice said the draft law could potentially have enabled relatives to “claw back” property or items given away by the deceased during their lifetime – a mechanism allowed under many EU states’ succession laws, but precluded by Irish and UK law.

According to commission estimates, the proposed legislation would affect about 450,000 successions every year.

Rules on which national law should apply in cross-border succession cases vary: some EU states follow the principle that the law should be determined by the nationality of the deceased, while others apply the law of the state where the deceased lived.

A Government spokeswoman said last night the Government had nothing to do with the commission’s decision to withdraw the proposal.

A commission spokesman also denied that the delay was due to the Irish referendum.

However, several EU diplomats confirmed the story, with one noting that everyone was focused on ensuring that potential landmines were avoided in the run-up to the autumn referendum, which will decide the fate of the treaty.

This matter was also reported in the European Voice 14th May 2009.

JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS Inheritance
Irish treaty vote puts inheritance law on hold

14.05.2009

Commission fears negative Irish reactions over law on inheritance.
Plans for EU-wide recognition of inheritance claims have fallen victim to Ireland's projected second referendum on the Lisbon treaty. The European Commission has postponed a controversial plan to have wills and inheritance claims recognised across member states until after the Irish referendum, expected in the autumn.

Both Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Catherine Day, the secretary-general, requested that the proposal be put on hold, for fear of negative reactions in the Irish Republic on the sensitive matter of family inheritance ahead of the crucial referendum.

Response to the EU Commission

In response to an EU Commission press release today (21/8/09), Farmers for No have issued the following statement:

Statement by David Thompson, Spokesman of ‘Farmers for No.’
Farmers for No – respond to EU Commission on Turkey

“The message is clear, vote Yes to Lisbon and you get a Turkey, maybe not by Christmas, but it will come.
“Senior EU leaders have stated clearly that Lisbon is necessary for more enlargement. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president last June said, ‘No Lisbon [Treaty], no enlargement,’. He added that ‘the Nice Treaty limited the EU to a membership of 27 states.’
“The passing of Lisbon would facilitate and is necessary to allow the entry of Turkey, a state of 75 million people. If the CAP budget remains the same going forward and the number of farmers doubles overnight with Turkish accession, its clear that CAP payments to farmers will roughly half. The EU has already started accession talks with Turkey – this is for a reason. “

EU Commission statement

Growing everyday - Officer Board of the "Farmers for No"

The list of the Officer Board of the "Farmers for No" are as follows : -

CHAIRMAN : James Reynolds, current Secretary of Ballinalee IFA Branch and former Longford IFA County Chairman and former Member of the IFA National Industrial and Environment, Rural Development and Farm Business Committees.

NATIONAL VICE-CHAIRMAN and SPOKESMAN: David Thompson, former Limerick IFA County Chairman, former Limerick County Representative on IFA National Council and former Member of the IFA National Dairy and Animal Health Committees. Currently vice chairman of Limerick IFA.

SECRETARY : Michael Reidy, Member of Kerry IFA County Executive.

TREASURER : Noel McCabe, former Westmeath Representative on the IFA National Industrial and Environment Committee.

PRO : Billy Clancy Member of North Tipperary County Council and former Member of North Tipperary IFA County Executive.

Other Members of the Officer Board include:
Gerry Murphy, former Waterford IFA County Chairman, former Member of the IFA National Rules and Privileges Committee, former Waterford County Representative on IFA National Council and former Member of the IFA National Industrial and Environment Committee.

Peter Fox, former Longford County Representative on the IFA National Livestock Committee.

Con Cremin, current Limerick ICSA County Chairman.

Winston Turner, IFA Member and former Member of Cavan County Council and former Leader of Cavan Roads Action Group and Member of the Board of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes.

Jackie Marren, Chairman of the Sligo Farming Platform and Member of Sligo IFA County Executive.

John Campbell, current Chairman of Edgeworthstown IFA Branch and former Longford IFA County Vice-Chairman.

Paddy Boyhan, Westmeath, former Member of the National Executive of the United Farmers' Association.

Sean Guerin, Chairman of Retired Farmers Group, Former Chairman of Kerry IFA.

'Farmers for NO' Campaign launched on the 20th August

Press Release which was issued on Thursday 20th August, Immediate effect


A new group of senior farming representatives was today launched to actively campaign for a second No vote to Lisbon.
'Farmers for No' was launched in Buswells Hotel today at 12 noon. [The Launch was introduced by vice-chairman David Thompson - current vice Chairman of Limerick IFA.]
National chairman of Farmers for No, James Reynolds, a former chairman of Longford IFA ,said it was crucial that the Irish farming community vote No to protect the future of Irish agriculture. The group is made up of senior farm leaders elected by farmers to represent their views.
Former Munster MEP Kathy Sinnott was guest speaker at the press launch.

....At the press conference today in Buswells, James Reynolds said:


Lisbon is a proxy referendum on Turkish entry - I call on Irish farmers to vote no.

Just as the Treaty of Nice facilitated the entry and free movement of many people from the new states of Eastern Europe, we are now told that Lisbon will facilitate even further enlargement.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president last June said, "No Lisbon [Treaty], no enlargement,". He added that "the Nice Treaty limited the EU to a membership of 27 states."

Of particular concern to me is the fact that the EU has opened up entry talks with Turkey, a state of 75 million people, which is economically underdeveloped and has a particularly poor human rights record.
The EU CAP budget is currently over-stretched. The accession of Turkey's-75 million people- would place too great a financial burden on member states. Turkish accession means the number of farmers in the EU would double overnight, causing the CAP payments scheme would collapse across western Europe.
After Lisbon, the Ever Closer union is also an Ever Expanding Union - this has huge financial consequences for farmers and it is to their detriment.
As the three largest political parties here all support Turkish accession; because the Treaty of Lisbon facilitates the EU entry of Turkey I urge Irish farmers vote against it.
As Lisbon is a proxy referendum on Turkish entry - I call on Irish farmers to vote NO to hold on to their C.A.P.

Farmers are sick of EU hyper-regulation. We don't want to be an Irish theme park.

As a farmer I am sick to death of the culture of hyper-regulation which comes from Brussels. The Nitrates Directive, Habitat Directive, Soil Directive, etc etc are slowly but surely strangling Irish agriculture.
Irish farmers refuse to be turned into film extras for some Irish Disney theme park for the urban elite of Europe. We want living communities in rural Ireland, not a theme park.

EU Commission proposals on inheritance law will prevent farmers passing on farm as single working unit - this is unacceptable.

EU Commission proposals on inheritance law harmonisation, if fully implemented, would mean that Irish farmers will not be able to pass on their family farm as a single working unit to one of their children in the future.
The partial harmonisation of inheritance codes throughtout the EU as proposed by the commission will mean the continental judicial system in this matter would prevail over the Irish Common Law system. It would mean a reserved portion of the deceased's property would have to go to the children of the deceased in equal portion.
Those countries with the Napoleonic Code insist that one cannot leave property as one wishes, but that all children have an equal share.
This would mean the family farm would have to be broken up or sold.

In May this year, the EU Commission dropped the proposals to partially harmonise inheritance law throughout the EU until after Lisbon is voted on. This move was cynical and beneath contempt. Irish farmers want and deserve transparency of this issue.
The decision to delay the proposal follows a similar move last year to quietly drop the commission’s controversial proposal to harmonise the corporate tax base in the EU (CCCTB) .

Because of our Lisbon NO vote, we have residual leverage to force the EU to drop Corporate Tax Base proposals. Once we say yes our leverage is gone.
Once we say yes, they will introduce Corporate Tax Base and introduce measures to bring in harmonised inheritance law - meaning that farmers can't leave their farm as one working unit to a single child.
This would be a disaster. Almost unspeakable crime against farmers and Irish traditions.

The Irish Constitution has rock solid defence of property and inheritance rights. The Lisbon Charter does not.

Irelands Constitution Article 43 states: 'The State........guarantees to pass no law attempting to abolish the right of private ownership or the general right to transfer, bequeath, and inherit property'

And the following is what we get if the Lisbon Treaty is accepted :
Under Property Rights in the Lisbon Charter of Fundamental Rights it states: (CFR art 17) Property 'No one can be deprived of his or her possessions, except in the public interest and in the cases and under the conditions provided for by law'........

Now we rightly ask clarification of this (Article 17) Right to Property in the Charter of Rights attached to the Lisbon Treaty :
What law(s) refer ? What are these conditions referred to ? What are these cases ?
Who decides on defining these headings? When and how can any of this happen ?
To whom will the law(s) apply ? Who is going to make these laws ? What is the public interest......who decides what it is ? Can one object to, and/or appeal a decision...and to whom?
Where is the certainty in all of this, when matched against our Irish Constitution?
I believe it is the Irish people should decide their values and their laws. And we should not be prevented from handing on the family farm to a child it that is our lasting will.

Article 188 of Lisbon abolishes irish veto on WTO trade agreements

Farmers must vote no to the Lisbon Treaty unless they want to go the way of the fishermen, and Irish Ferry workers, and the sugar beet industry.

This is because article 188C and N of Lisbon would remove Ireland's veto in commercial policy agreements with international organisations like the WTO.

Even the Forum for Europe booklet 2008 (p64) is clear that “negotiations and conclusion of agreements with one or more third countries or international organisations in the field of commercial policy” moves from unanimity to qualified majority voting (QMV).

If farmers wish to maintain an Irish veto over WTO agreements in the future they must vote No.

To vote Yes would be a death wish to our beef industry in particular and Irish farming in general. Maintaining our veto in as many policy areas as possible, strengthens our hand in negotiations, and ensures Irish interests are protected. It also means laws cannot be imposed on us against our will by people who are not accountable to us

For among the reasons outlined above I call on Irish farmers to come out and vote No to Lisbon in October, just as they did last year.