Farmers protest over closure of sugar and barley factories

Around 400 angry beet and barley farmers have marched on the Dáil following a protest outside the Greencore AGM in Dublin this morning.

The Irish Farmers Association arranged the demonstration in protest at the company's plans to close its sugar factory in Carlow and the Banagher Maltings in Co Offaly.

The IFA has claimed the closures are unjustified and should be deferred for a year to allow all parties to agree alternative plans.

Association president John Dillon said the barley growers who supplied the Banagher Maltings now had no purchaser for their produce, while sugar beet growers would have to transport their goods all the way to Greencore's last remaining sugar factory in Mallow.