After the ‘lost’ years of recession, funding for maintenance and building of roads is on the agenda, says Áilín Quinlan

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.

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 Irish Farmers’ Association has claimed a growing divergence between the incomes of beef farmers and the prices consumers are paying is evidence "of the collusion between processors and retailers to cream off excessive margins for themselves".