Silage contractors from Galway joined contractors from Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan last night in Portlaoise to protest over the Government’s failure to reduce the cost of green diesel back to pre-war levels.
Many of the 400 or so who attended the packed meeting in the Midlands Park Hotel said the hike on fuel prices was going to play havoc for farmers silage costs in the coming weeks, adding that they were in favour of staging road blockades at Dublin airport and along the M50 next week.
However, Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly said a committee has now been formed firstly to negotiate with the Government and Minister for Finance next week on key issues.
MEP Mullooly says scrapping the excise duty on green diesel must be done immediately
if contractors are to stay in business.
He says a series of proposals came out of last night’s meeting.
