[The] derogation reduction will not work. It’s the stocking rate on the milking platform that’s the problem, farmers with a stocking rate of four to six cows per hectare are causing problems with water quality and it’s being ignored. - Limerick farmer

It’s the small holdings that will get hit the worst. There’s no extra land to be got around here. – Cork farmer

I will be watching anxiously to see how the regulations change and develop in the future. – Westmeath farmer

We’re caught in the third band. This is our second destocking this year. – Cork farmer

I’m like the frog analogy. Put me into hot water I jump out and survive. Turn up the heat gradually and I keep trying to adapt until eventually it kills me. I think the wise move is maybe to jump out before it just gets too difficult to continue. Maybe enough is enough. – Cork farmer

There should be no derogation, bring back the milk quota and have a level playing field for all areas of farming. The golden milk bubble has finally burst. – Laois farmer

Farming 30ha owned and rented so I’m losing 900kg of organic fertiliser - that’s the equivalent of 10 cows. It takes years to build up a herd and then the rug is pulled from under your feet. Political parties and farm organisations knew this was coming down the road. They’re fooling nobody now with their actions pretending they care, trying to close the door after the horse has bolted. Never again will I vote for a Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael candidate in any election ever. – Wexford farmer

Why should Irish and European farmers reduce output or even spend money just to stand still while the rest of the world do as they wish? – Tipperary farmer

I already have all future dairy stock being contract-reared, so my only options are to get more land or reduce stock. If I do the latter option, I probably will have to let the man I have employed full-time go. That’s not what I want to do but it’s the reality. – Kilkenny farmer

I’m milking 80 cows and this reduction is going to have a profound effect on my business going forward. I don’t think I’ve ever been so stressed in all my life. There’s the turnover loss. There’s the possibility of no future for my son running the farm going forward. There’s an animal welfare crisis charging down the tracks with heavily pregnant cows and heifers having to be disposed of in a short time frame. It’s nothing short of criminal. The true family-run dairy farms in west Cork are more than likely going to be put out of business in the short to medium term. I’m beyond angry, I’m totally disgusted. – Cork farmer

Government should introduce a dairy exit and dairy reduction scheme. – Wexford farmer