His words have pertinence today as the struggle to survive in the agricultural sector intensifies. Therefore, the revolt by farmers and many rural TDs against the Mercosur trade agreement, which Ireland will now reject, might have been foreseen.
Yet it seems to have caught Taoiseach Micheál Martin slightly on the hop. Just a day before, he had hailed the significant progress made in discussions.
Then came the announcement that the Government would reject the deal. It is a largely symbolic gesture, as there are already enough countries to carry it in Brussels.
Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews, who had supported the agreement, suggested the climbdown was “testament to the power of the agricultural body”.
One may sympathise with farmers. Concerns over deteriorating standards, as many South American countries do not have the same controls or tracking, are also legitimate.
Ever since the first supermarket opened, people have expected food to appear on their shelves, as if by magic. We should never take for granted the work done to bring quality produce to market.
But it is also true that our economy has changed considerably. We have built thriving tech and pharma sectors, but the advantages these industries stand to gain in a market of 280 million people scarcely figured in any of the discussions.
The far tighter safeguards that have been secured in the talks might also have allayed worries about health risks and deterioration in quality.
Ireland will be joined by France in voting against, but a blocking minority would require four members
Given that the deal will be passed regardless, it is not clear exactly why the Cabinet caved, especially when one considers that support for the deal would have been consistent with the Programme for Government.
The suspicion is that TDs and some ministers, fearing a political backlash, simply bowed to what might be seen as parish-pump pressures.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald accused the Coalition of a “large failure” on the deal.
Ireland will be joined by France in voting against the deal, but a blocking minority would require four members.
Labour Party TD Eoghan Kenny welcomed the move to oppose the agreement, but accused the Government of “dithering” for leaving it so late.
The 11th-hour decision is unlikely to win Ireland much favour in Brussels.
It is also out of kilter with our free-trade ethos, something that is prized more than ever since Donald Trump imposed tariff walls. When approved, it will constitute the world’s biggest free-trade zone. This could increase EU exports to the Mercosur countries – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – by 39pc, worth €49bn to the EU.
Protecting agriculture is key, but we also have to see the larger picture in the future. As Warren Buffett put it: “If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.”