Farmers have strongly criticised union leaders involved in today's public-sector strike, claiming they are "living in cloud-cuckoo land".
IFA president Padraig Walshe says some political and union leaders are misleading the public into believing there is a "crock of gold" in the private sector that can be tapped to meet the shortfall in the public finances.
He says the average farm income is now just €13,000 - one quarter of the average salary in the public sector.