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.