Bruton denies refusing to meet IFA as 8,000 protest

ENTERPRISE Minister Richard Bruton has denied that he refused to meet with officials of the Irish Farmers’ Association, as an estimated 8,000 farmers marched on his office in Dublin yesterday.

IFA president John Bryan, who addressed the protest outside the minister’s office, said he wrote to the minister two months ago requesting a meeting to discuss retailer dominance.

Mr Bryan said he got a reply from the minister saying he was too busy to meet the IFA on May 13 last — the same day officers from the Competition Authority raided the association’s head office.