Marts to include assembly centres

ALL livestock marts in the State should be licensed as assembly centres, according to the Irish Cooperative Organisation Society, the co-ops national umbrella body.

ICOS Marts Committee chairman Tom Doyle made the call after warning a regime due to be enacted this year by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will effectively kill off all mart trade to the North.

He said the department proposes all marts wishing to continue with cross-border trade in its current format must construct a purpose-built EU assembly centre.