Reform of the EU and eurozone as well as the possibility of an Irish exit from the EU were the main issues addressed at an ICSA meeting discussing Brexit in Letterkenny on Friday.

Two of the three MEPs speaking at the event, British MEP Stuart Agnew of UKIP and Irish independent MEP Luke Ming Flanagan, put up Eurosceptic arguments, and, although calling for Northern Ireland to remain in the EU, Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said reform of the union was needed.

It was left to ICSA president Paddy Kent to discuss the shorter-term effects of the Brexit vote on Irish farmers. He said sensationalism surrounding the exchange rates and markets was used by factories to put pressure on prices.

Exchange rates

“Sterling has not collapsed. A rate of €1.19 is not out of the ordinary, it is similar to the rate we had for most of 2013,” he told around 150 farmers present.

Kent said that, with 41% of Irish food and drink exported to the UK, Ireland’s main issue was securing a favourable trade deal between the UK and the EU. “The beef sector needs now more than ever to go after new markets and live exports should be a priority for Government,” he added.

Midlands and North West MEP Flanagan warned there was a strong feeling within the EU that the UK “must be punished” in withdrawal negotiations which could be at the expense of Ireland in relation to trade with the UK and hardening of the Irish border.

‘I think you might leave’

“The Irish people are not that keen on the European project. If they were, they would have voted ‘yes’ to the Treaty of Nice and ‘yes’ to the Lisbon Treaty first time,” said Agnew in his address.

“I think you [Ireland] might leave. We [the UK] are going to start a process and I think for the following reasons you might want to join us.”

Agnew firstly cited the eurozone and EU migrant crisis as reasons for Irish Euroscepticism. From an agriculture perspective, he said pressure on the CAP budget would be caused by the loss of the UK’s £3bn net contribution following Brexit and that wider EU budgetary pressures would also reduce CAP funds.

Agnew also said growing wealth in Ireland would soon make it a net contributor to EU budget and having little say with other member states and the Commission in EU trade deals would add to Irish farmers’ discontent with Europe.