Farmer bids to stop sale of cattle

FARMER John Hanrahan has brought High Court proceedings aimed at restraining the sale, which had been due to proceed today, of some 150 cattle removed from his farm by Department of Agriculture officials last month.

When the injunction application came before Mr Justice Roderick Murphy yesterday, it was adjourned for a week after Noel Whelan SC gave an undertaking, on behalf of the department, not to sell the animals for another week.

Mr Whelan said his side needed time to reply to affidavits filed by Mr Hanrahan and was contesting claims in those affidavits. It was on that basis he was giving the undertaking which extended only to Thursday next, as there were financial costs involved in the continuing upkeep of the animals.

Counsel for Mr Hanrahan consented to the adjournment and gave an undertaking for damages.

Mr Justice Murphy returned the matter to next Thursday.

Department officials took 391 cattle from Mr Hanrahan’s Carrick-on-Suir farm on March 15 and 16 last year. They did so on the grounds of welfare concerns.

The officials later brought feedstuffs to the farm and agreed to allow Mr Hanrahan retain his milking herd of some 120 animals.

Mr Hanrahan had appealed against the removal of the animals, but Dungarvan District Court was told on April 12 those proceedings had been settled and the appeal was struck out.

However, a dispute between Mr Hanrahan and the department in relation to the implementation of the settlement arose, leading to the bringing of the High Court proceedings.