Today’s protest by farmers outside a Lidl distribution centre has been slammed as “a completely unjustified stunt”.

A planning row has erupted in Tralee over plans by a local secondary school to create a new pedestrian access gate to the town’s main park.

The Department of Education is considering its next steps in regards to a permanent building for Cork Educate Together Secondary School after the decision to refuse planning was upheld.

Blockades are continuing at meat processing plants around the country as just four of the 20 pickets have been lifted.

A further 100 meat factory workers will today be temporarily laid off as blockades continue at beef processing plants across the country.

Here is a selection of people who have recently been appointed to interesting new roles.

Processors have seen that protesters won’t listen to the established farmer organisations, and may feel that closure or recourse to the law are the only ways to proceed

The plant is a flagship facility for ABP, one of the largest privately owned food processors in Europe which employs 650 people.

An Bord Pleanála has said it will continue to prioritise large-scale housing appeals after its latest annual report showed it granted permission for more than 7,100 housing units and almost 4,500 student bed-spaces during 2018.

The orders were made in favour of C&D Pet Foods, which is located at Edgeworthstown Co Longford by Mr Justice Tony O'Connor during Friday's sitting of the High Court.

Hundreds of workers in the Midlands face being laid off due to the unlawful blockade of a pet food manufacturing plant, the High Court has heard.

Today, a man was arrested at a protest outside a meat processing plant in County Cavan, while another protestor was taken from the scene at Liffey Meats in Ballyjamesduff in an ambulance.

Beef farmers protesting at the ABP meat-processing plant in Bandon have agreed a "one-day" deal to allow a Chinese delegation to visit the facility on Monday.

Peace has broken out at all Dawn Meats factories affected by the beef price blockade after the High Court heard today that permanent orders restraining trespass and intimidation could be made with the consent of named protesters who had taken part in disruptive nation-wide protests.

A visiting Chinese delegation inspecting Irish meat-processing plants may witness a stand-off at one facility today after efforts to broker a temporary lifting of the picket were rejected.

The order was granted in favour of Liffey Meats, which owns and operates plants outside Ballinasloe in Co Roscommon, Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan and Hackettstown in Co Carlow.

A Chinese delegation is touring meat factories to inspect them, with a view to expanding meat exports to Beijing.

The Government has been urged to directly intervene in the beef price crisis amid escalating court actions and wildcat protests outside processing facilities around the country.

This week’s ruling may lead to a dismantling of a Waterford wind farm, which is likely to have widespread repercussions for wind energy into the future, writes Michael Clifford.

With some protesters continuing to defy court injunctions some processors sought to obtain attachment and committal orders that could lead to farmers involved in protest action being arrested.

The owner of several meat factories has told the High Court that protests at one of its processing plants have escalated since it secured an injunction restraining the blockading of their factories and the intimidation of staff and suppliers.

The holding company of Slaney Foods - one of the meat processors being picketed by farmers as part of an ongoing protest over beef prices - generated a pre-tax profit of €3.12m last year, newly-filed accounts show.

A multimillion-euro meat deal with China is under threat because of farmer protests outside processing plants, it has been claimed.

The owners of up to a dozen meat plants today have been granted temporary High Court injunctions restraining groups of protesters from blockading their factories and intimidating staff and suppliers.

The ongoing disagreement over beef pricing shows no sign of resolution as farmers reject the Government’s offer of talks.

The Irish beef industry capitalised on the opportunity offered by the Dublin venue for the recent World Steak Challenge 2019.

Robert McNamara joins the Irish agri-food trade mission to Japan and finds Irish beef is cooking up a storm in Tokyo, where discerning customers are insisting on high-quality food and knowledge about its provenance.

Students have been chosen from five schools to rear Irish Angus calves for 18 months in the Certified Irish Angus Beef Schools Competition.

Irish meat processor ABP has extended its range of online beef products for Chinese consumers from three to ten product lines on the JD.com online platform.

Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has invested heavily in supporting the third level research brain power needed to underpin the country’s future in renewable energy.

Worrying turn of events for local residents.

The capacity to express contrition is prerequisite for political leaders. Each of the last number of taoisigh has had occasion to open their heart to the Dáíl and denounce one legacy issue or another.

Two of our world’s conflicting but defining forces — the growing threat of climate destruction and the mountains of polluting waste generated by our relentless consumerism — collided yesterday when it was announced that An Bord Pleanála (ABP) granted planning permission for a controversial €160m Indaver waste incinerator in Cork Harbour.

Farmers have welcomed a beef deal with China which will open up a multimillion-euro market to Irish producers.

Like any disagreement, it will take time to work it out, says Joe Healy on ABP not collecting levy from livestock sales for IFA.

A meat factory employee injured in a workplace accident has had a €257,000 award reduced to €227,000 by the Court of Appeal.

The longest-running planning saga in An Bord Pleanála’s history is set to drag on after it deferred, for the seventh time, a decision on plans for an incinerator in the Cork Harbour area.

The Health Minister Simon Harris says An Bord Pleanála will have the final say on the fire requirements for the new National Children's Hospital.

Management at the National Paediatric Hospital has rejected criticism over its fire safety measures after reports that it sought a derogation from some conditions.

The board of the National Children's Hospital has said the provision of fire sprinkler protection measures in the new hospital will exceed the number that is set out within fire safety legislation.

An Irish beef processing firm has opened a new biogas facility in the UK.

Increasing live cattle exports is still seen by farmers as the primary way to boost Ireland’s beef sector.