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.