The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) has slammed the government's decision to set a 25% sectoral emissions reduction for agriculture, and said it will be impossible for family farms to achieve.

Government parties reached an agreement this afternoon on the target after weeks of negotiations. ICMSA president Pat McCormack said:

"Our livestock industry, both dairy and beef is the lifeblood of rural Ireland and Minister McConalogue and the three party leaders of the coalition have struck it at its very heart today."

McCormack said that while the original 22% target would have been "very difficult, it warranted an effort". However the increased 25% reduction has now moved those policies to "impossible". He stated:

Politicians and groups that purported to appreciate the difficulties farmers and their communities face, have now chosen to sell out Ireland's family farm model according to McCormack who added:

"Groups who professed to appreciate the dilemma cheerfully signed off on policy that 'at a stroke’' that made whole classes of farms unviable."

The ICMSA president said that while those in government who are pushing a green agenda may view today's decision as a win, "it will transpire to be a PR stunt and a pointless overreach that will inflict incalculable harm to long term ambitions for lower emissions and sustainability".

"If we are to move forwards together towards the new low-emissions farming and primary food production now set as policy, then the ambitions and targets must be possible and achievable," he concluded.