Farmers demand action to protect live cattle exports

Farming groups are demanding government action to protect Ireland’s live cattle exports when the P&O ferry firm stops live shipments to France later this year.

The company is planning to cease such shipments in December and farming groups are due to meet the Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan next week to discuss the matter.

Speaking ahead of the talks, IFA national livestock chairman John Bryan said: "Ireland, on an annual basis, exports anywhere between 100,000 and 200,000 cattle every year.

"This is vital to the Irish beef industry. It's imperative that the Minister for Agriculture intervenes to make sure someone else takes up the line."