Mayo Fianna Fáil TD and Minister Dara Calleary, has said that the Lisbon Treaty is vital to maintaining and creating jobs in rural Ireland.
“Often, talk of job creation and protection in Ireland centres around workers employed by multinationals based in Ireland,” Minister Calleary said. “However, it is also important to highlight the 230,000 workers employed directly and indirectly in the agri-food sector, an industry driven by 128,000 farm families in rural Ireland. This industry relies not only on the financial support of the EU but also its access to 500 million consumers.
“A Yes vote on Lisbon is vital to securing the future of these jobs and expanding this critical indigenous industry into the future, a sector that has a gross annual turnover in the order of €25 billion.”
Minister Calleary went on to stress that “talks have already begun in the EU on what areas will be prioritised under the EU budget for 2014-2021. These discussions are due to be finalised in 2011 and it is imperative Ireland votes Yes to Lisbon on October 2 in order to remain at the heart of these discussions. The EU will provide the best deal for our farmers and rural communities.”
