Some 78% of dairy farmers said that they supported protests following the cut to the derogation from 250kg N/ha to 220kg N/ha.

Just 22% said that they didn’t take part in any protests over the changes which were announced last autumn.

A number of protests were held over the cut to the derogation - with the IFA staging protests outside the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael think-ins in Tipperary and Limerick city.

While then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar agreed to invite the Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius to Ireland to discuss the cut to the derogation, there was no change made to the final outcome.

Tractor campaign

More recently, in February and March, the IFA began a nationwide ‘enough is enough’ tractor campaign which began in solidarity with their European counterparts as they took over major cities with tractors and slurry tankers in protest over increased red tape and lower incomes. Some 295 farmers took part in the survey.