The idea that “we should go to the government to support us every time the price of diesel exceeds €2 per liter is complete nonsense,” according to Michael O’Leary.
Fuel prices have risen against the backdrop of the current crisis in the Middle East, raising concerns that farmers will have to face not only an increase in daily costs, but also a sharp rise in crucial contracting bills.
However, the Ryanair boss – who is also a farmer with 650 Angus cattle – believes the Irish government has provided enough support in relation to rising fuel prices.
“I will generally be critical of the Irish government and the inaction of the Irish government, particularly in relation to things like the passenger cap at Dublin Airport, which is a national embarrassment,” O’Leary told Agriland.
“But you know the support is in place.
“I would be much more impressed if they provided fewer subsidies and cut taxes on hard-pressed middle-income earners.”
Aside from support in relation to the current high price of fuel in Ireland, O’Leary also has very specific views when it comes to other types of support in the form of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments.
In a special episode of Agriland Beef summary podcast he told beef tech journalist Brevne O’Brien that he’s “not a big supporter of CAP payments in general.”
“Any of these subsidies that come from the Common Agricultural Policy or subsidies for rebuilding homes or abandoned homes in general, all subsidies will be dissipated,” he said.
However, the Ryanair president also believes that with regard to the Common Agricultural Policy, there are certain regulations that must be maintained, for example, in relation to retired farmers.
Last year, the European Commission presented its proposal setting the terms of the next Common Agricultural Policy from 2028 to 2034.
According to the Commission’s proposal, the Common Agricultural Policy will not be financed from funds dedicated to agriculture (the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development), but from the new National and Regional Partnership Fund worth €865 billion.
As part of these proposals, the committee also proposed that “farmers who reach the retirement age determined by national law and who receive a pension will no longer be eligible for area-based graduated income support.”
According to O’Leary CAP payments to retired farmers should currently continue.
“It must be preserved until such time as we abolish the CAP system completely,” the Ryanair boss added.
