Beef blockades at meat factories continuing despite pleas

Blockades are continuing at meat factories across the country despite pleas from processors and farming bodies for the demonstrations to end to allow beef production to resume.

Liffey Meats said protesters remain outside its three facilities in counties Cavan, Carlow, and Galway.

“We have over 500 employees anxiously waiting to return to work, many of our 10,000 farmer suppliers who want to sell their cattle and over 400 customers throughout Europe and Ireland who are waiting on their delivery of Irish beef,” a spokesperson said.

“These blockades are having a hugely negative impact both locally and in the surrounding communities, and a lot of local businesses and suppliers to our business are suffering as a result,” Liffey Meats said.

Despite a protest standing down from its factory in Slane Co Meath, Dawn Meats had no updates on any of the blockades outside its other plants.

However it rejected social media claims it was negotiating base prices for cattle in a bid to end the demonstrations.

“Hard-working farmers need to be made aware of the fake news and misinformation that the Beef Plan are circulating on social media.

"There can and will be no side deals or negotiations on a base price to end this dispute. This would both be illegal and run contrary to the agreement that was reached in good faith over the weekend,” the company said.

On the issue of base price, Irish Farmers Association President Joe Healy said he hoped increased bonuses agreed as part of last weekend’s deal would not lead to processors ‘manipulating’ the base price to make savings.

“I would now urge the factories to re-open and to come forward with a strong base price. This would help to start the process of building some sort of trust and to get the industry up and running” he said.

In light of the ongoing job losses at factories, Siptu called on the government to make provisions to those laid off as a result of factory closure.

While welcoming the interest-free loans afforded to employees by some processing companies, the trade union said tax exemptions should apply given the circumstances.

“We understand that there may be a tax implication as a result of the loan being seen as a ‘benefit in kind’.

"However, we are calling on the Government and Revenue to waive this in this instance. These loans are being used to cover basic needs and to support workers and their families at this very difficult time,” Siptu organiser Terry Bryan said.

“Siptu members are also asking the Government to make additional funding available to workers on enforced lay-offs who are in difficulty with mounting bills and rent to pay.

"Many workers in the industry are in rented accommodation and, if supports are not made available, it could lead to many of those workers facing homelessness,” he warned.