Farmers oppose RSA move to end roadside selling
Farmers say they are strongly opposed to a proposal by the National Roads Authority to ban selling farm produce at the roadside.
In their latest road strategy, the RSA proposes new legislation to prohibit what it calls high-risk activities on the road, including selling or marketing products, and charitable collections.
The RSA said its aim was to reduce the number of road deaths in Ireland to 124 a year by 2020, down from 162 in 2012.
IFA deputy president Eddie Downey said selling fruit and vegetables at the roadside was an important income for many farmers, and was not a safety concern.
"What they've said is they believe (the sellers) are a safety issue and they should be removed, (but) it's been a tradition for many years, and we need to make sure that it is retained," he said.
