Independent Ireland is expecting up to 10,000 farmers to take to the streets of Athlone this Saturday on tractor or on foot for a demonstration organised to send a “huge message” highlighting farmer opposition to the EU-Mercosur free trade deal.

The attendance estimate came from Independent Ireland MEP Ciarán Mullooly and could make the protest the largest farmer demonstration the country has seen since the National Farmers’ Association 1966 Farmers’ Rights campaign, if numbers turn out as expected.

“We have been inundated with calls, both those wishing to join the cavalcade by tractor and those saying they will walk,” Mullooly told the Irish Farmers Journal on Monday.

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Independent Ireland provided a pre-registration facility where those planning on travelling to the protest could state from which direction they were coming to aid with traffic planning.

Mullooly said that the “guts of 1,000 tractors and lorries” have already pre-registered and that his party’s network of local councillors have also been organising groups to head to Athlone. Buses to Athlone have also been put on by marts, groups of farmers and farm organisations.

“Our Cllr Michael Clarke in Sligo has 220 tractors to depart from Sligo town alone,” he commented.

With anticipation growing that attendance will be strong, organisers will now have access to not only the 2,000-seater indoor arena at the Technological University of the Shannon campus, but also an outdoor astroturf pitch.

Beyond party politics

The MEP maintains that all farming organisations and national level politicians will have the opportunity to speak to those present, as the issue of Mercosur is “too serious” to politicise.

“We have invited all MEPs, all political parties’ spokespersons and we have invited the Minister for Agriculture. It will be a show of strength and solidarity,” Mullooly continued.

“This is not going to be Independent Ireland taking over, it is about sending a very clear message from a united front to Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the Tánaiste Simon Harris that Ireland needs to be actively opposing Mercosur, rather than just sitting on the fence.

“A protest like this will be dangerous to ignore. There are a lot of people unhappy with the rushed nature of the attempt to get this across the line.

“If the message is ignored, you could see protests at the EU presidency summits in July. That is not what I want from the presidency, but it is on the European Commission and the Government to show that they are paying attention.”