Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1945 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Irish Independent, 09.08.1945

Farmers’ Work in Emergency

Sir. At a luncheon of the Federation of Irish Wholesale Associations in Dublin on July 19 Mr. T. O’Connor, chairman, Dublin Port and Docks Board, is reported as stating: “Were it not for the steps taken by the Government, when they found themselves cut off overnight from sources of supply in securing ships and compelling the farmers to do their duty towards the country, they might have found themselves in a much worse position during the war.” On behalf of the farmers of Ireland, as general secretary of the Irish Farmers’ Federation, I take exception to Mr. T. O’Connor’s remark, and request its withdrawal. Indeed, it ill becomes a member of the Port and Docks Board to misrepresent the farmers, seeing that the farmers produce the bulk of our export trade.

Perhaps Mr. O’Connor was not interested in the farmers or their actions in 1939 (it is more fashionable nowadays to show interest in agriculture), but at the outbreak of the European war the members of the Irish Farmers’ Federation called on Dr. James Ryan, Minister for Agriculture, and offered him “the fullest co-operation of the farming community in increasing the nation’s food supply on the understanding that the Minister would give adequate representation to the Irish Farmers’ Federation on any Board set up to deal with agricultural interests, and that immediate relief be given to farmers to enable them get into production.”

The following week our deputation was received by Mr. Eamon de Valera as Dr. Ryan was ill, and also present at the 3hour interview were members of the Beet Growers’ Association and National Ploughing Association.

The members of the Irish Farmers’ Federation pressed An Taoiseach to make no agreement with England regarding the prices of live stock and agricultural produce without first consulting the producers, but he would not agree to that. We also asked him to grant a moratorium on arrears of rates and annuities, and withdraw the “Flying Squad,” but he also refused. Perhaps Mr. O’Connor does not know what the “Flying Squad” was. It was a force of Civic Guards and an officer from the Sheriff to seize the farmer’s stock, take them away, and sell them at sacrificial prices for arrears of annuities or rates.

We farmers understood we would need a million acres more tillage, but having come through the Economic War badly wounded most of us in debt, and no capital or credit, and very little stock, it was impossible for us to get into the full production necessary unless we got help from the Government, but they would not co-operate with us. Had they done so, I firmly believe you would never have had rationing of butter, or sugar or scarcity of bread, bacon and eggs, as you have experienced. Elizabeth F. Bobbett, General Secretary, Irish Farmers’ Federation, Springfield, Wicklow.