Elaine Byrne: Cheaper finance will make slaves of farmers

Banks and factories will have a much bigger stake in our agricultural sector

Cows will still need to be milked Pic: Getty

Check the back of your car licence. In Ireland, a licence to drive a car is automatically accompanied by the right to drive a tractor. No additional test is required.

If Pat Kenny so desired, he could swap his Dalkey to Stephen’s Green commute on his BMW C1 enclosed scooter for a 15,060lb Massey Ferguson 7600 Series with a 225 horsepower engine.

Scratch beneath the surface and we are a deeply soldered agricultural ...