Animal Collectors Association to meet Department as 38 knackeries remain closed

The Animal Collectors Association (ACA) whose members operate knackeries, says it will attend a meeting with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on Monday.

However the ACA said that the gates of some 38 small/medium size knackeries will remain closed for the time being.

The decision to close the gates wast taken by the ACA after they said there was a breakdown of talks with the Department last Monday.

Michael McKeever, chairperson of the ACA confirmed that the Department has been in contact with the group and they have arranged a meeting for this coming Monday.

He said the group was “more than willing to attend any meeting that will address our issues.

In the absence of any meaningful commitment on our issues knackery gates will remain closed.

He added that as a result of its members not accepting any more fallen animals that there were “in the region of 3,000 dead bovine animals left in fields and yards”

“There are also fallen sheep, goats, horses etc left around the country as the farmer/owner has no knackery to collect them, so they cannot dispose of them in a safe and regulated manner.

We regret we cannot provide our invaluable service to these people but it is simply no longer viable to continue business without the return of adequate funding from the Government.

During the week the Department said, it had made proposals "that would further enhance the supports it gives to the important work that knackeries undertake within the agri-sector."

"The Department seeks to continue our discussions with ACA with a view to resolving this issue.

"DAFM and ACA are meeting on Monday with a view to resolving the impasse."