Marts need to invest €10m-€20m

LIVESTOCK marts need to invest between €10 million and €20 million in order to upgrade existing facilities, Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan was told at the ICOS conference.

ICOS president Pádraig Gibbons urged the minister to introduce a scheme of grant aid for effluent treatment and other facilities, as well as to provide for rationalisation and consolidation in the sector.

Ms Coughlan said marts provide vital services to the livestock sector and to rural communities.

“I am also aware of the demands being placed on some marts from aspects of the nitrates and we are considering if anything can be done to alleviate these,” she said.