The Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue received a string of angry emails from farmers saying they had been left to "foot the blame" for the climate crisis amid new EU rules on nitrates.
In one message, the minister was accused of having "completely denied" the possibility of a cut in the allowance for farmers even though the change proved inevitable.
The person wrote that it would be the "death knell" for small farmers and especially those with 60 cows or fewer.
Their email said: "A farmer with 60 cows would have to cut down by approximately 10 cows in order to meet the derogation or buy or rent more land which is simply not available".
Another wrote that dairy farmers were "low hanging fruit and easy pickings" and that they were being asked to cut their operations by 30% and "just shut up about it".
"I have a family to support and educate. With my father retiring now, I will be supporting two households with a meagre income as it is," another farmer said.
"And now you want to reduce my income by 30% more. Not happy at all with this clearly political decision to pander to the Dublin central politicians," he added.
One email said the department's performance when it came to treating Irish farmers had been one of "delays and failures".
They said the move could perversely have a damaging impact on the environment as many dairy farmers would rent more land, which would otherwise have been used for growing crops.
"This is typical of the short-sighted approach that this government takes on everything farming-related at the moment," their message said.
"It’s almost unbelievable that your government could not put a stronger case to the EU Commissioner to retain our derogation limit," it added.
Another message said the decision was likely to have "extremely serious, detrimental and far-reaching consequences" for the Irish economy and the agricultural industry.
"Farmers in derogation adhere to the highest possible water standards and partake in regular training and upskilling to ensure they are taking every possible step to protect their water, their environment and their biodiversity," the wrote.
One letter warned of a "fire sale" of cows that could have serious economic and reputational consequences for the livestock trade.
The department also received multiple representations pleading that the slurry-spreading season be extended because of the unusually wet spring and summer this year.
"The effects of the deluge in March, July and September is having a devastating effect on all farmers, be they dairy, beef, or tillage," said one email.
"We are in a very precarious position in terms of financial and mental health issues across the country," the email added.
Another warned that farmers were reporting burst slurry tanks and how they were "genuinely concerned" about what they were supposed to do.
"We held up water quality as sacrosanct in recent weeks and were any of these small farmers to attempt to spread slurry in the coming days it will quickly wash into the nearest waterway," the message said.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
