Frank Brady, pictured here at an IFA protest, said most farmers thought the Greens' voice inside government was too strong.

Do Greens hold too much sway?

The minister of agriculture swept aside an assertion by the regional chairman for Ulster/North Leinster, Frank Brady, that the Greens hold too much sway in the government.

“Everybody in this room would tell you as far as they are concerned, the Green Party for the size of them have way too much power and influence on rural Ireland. Can we not get to them that we are not the problem.

“We are the solution to the problem rather than the problem,” he said.

The minister, whose junior counterpart in the Department is Senator Pippa Hackett from the Green Party, rejected the suggestion.

“Emissions and sustainability is no longer a niche issue for any one party it’s very much mainstream.” The Fianna Fáil man added all their actions were informed by the programme for Government.