Dublin business groups have urged the Garda to stop farmers clogging up the city's streets on Friday at the culmination of the week-long Irish Farmers' Association protest over farm incomes.
The Dublin Chamber of Commerce said the Garda should come to a similar agreement with the IFA as that reached with hauliers and taxi drivers in recent protests where, to minimise disruption, only a token presence of vehicles was allowed into the city centre.
The Dublin City Business Association (DCBA) said there should also be rigorous enforcement of motoring and driving laws against protesters in a further drive to limit disruption. It called for "the enforcement of the law in relation to any farmers' vehicles unlicensed for road use or uninsured, as well as illegal parking".
The IFA has agreed with the Garda to bring a maximum of 300 tractors into the city between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. as part of the protest. A spokesman for the association said yesterday it planned to bring close to that number as it would still only represent a selection of the thousands of tractors taking part in protests around the State.
However, a spokesman for the chamber of commerce said only a "token" presence should be allowed. "We would support anybody's right to protest. However, what is being proposed by the IFA is ridiculous. They seem to be determined to maximise disruption by invading the city with hundreds of tractors. It's hard to take seriously an organisation which is willing to engage in such a publicity stunt."
He said it would be no exaggeration to put the cost of the protest at "tens of millions" of euro. "It will be a day's loss of business. No one will go into the shops, and that will be very significant as retailers are at the height of their sales."
Calling for the action to be suspended, the DCBA said it was "disingenuous" of the IFA to claim that it did not wish to create congestion. "The IFA has had its five minutes of media exposure. It should now ask itself what purpose is really served by disrupting the lives of two million people in the Greater Dublin Area and creating a bad image of our country overseas."
DCBA chief executive Mr Tom Coffey asked what was the point of the protest giving that the Minister for Agriculture had already acceded to the IFA's primary demand for a meeting with it. "I think they don't actually know what they want."
He added that the Garda should not allow tractors on motorways, and nor should Dublin City Council allow the IFA park vehicles at Merrion Square, where the protest will culminate, without respecting parking laws.
A Garda spokesman said it was too early to say what policing arrangements would be in place on Friday. He said there would be a plan drawn up to ensure as little disruption as possible to citizens without interfering with the right to protest.
