Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has called on the Government to do more to relieve the financial pressure on small farmers.
His call comes in light of a Teagasc report, released last week, which found that just 34 per cent of farms in the west of Ireland are financially viable, even if the farmer has another part-time job.
Deputy Fitzmaurice said: “This report is further evidence to support what I have been saying all along about the direction of Government and EU policy on farming.
“The reality is that Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 funding must be directed more towards the small family farm.
“Any CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) review must address the imbalance that exists currently.
“The big farmers and ranchers are favoured at present, while the small family farms are losing out and the gap is widening all the time.
“This is a matter that I will continue to pursue. We have to preserve our small family farms, which are the bedrock of local rural communities.”
