Varadkar: 'Real risk the ongoing blockades are making a bad situation worse'

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned 90% of Irish beef farmers' income could be lost due to the ongoing meat factories stand-off, claiming foreign markets will simply switch to another producer if the blockades continue.

Mr Varadkar made the claim after another week of beef farmer protests, repeating his view that all farmers should agree to the deal signed off on by most farmers' groups last weekend for the sake of the wider industry.

He said the Government "appreciates the really hard time the beef farmers have had over the past year".

The Taoiseach said "everyone understands the difficulties they are facing" and that there is a need to ensure farmers receive as much support as possible.

However, noting the fact 90% of Ireland's beef produce is sent abroad for lucrative foreign markets, Mr Varadkar said the major cash cow could disappear if the stand-off continues.

I appreciate, and everyone in Government appreciates, the really hard time the beef farmers have had over the past year, a situation whereby the base price has been less and production is not sustainable.

"Everyone understands the difficulties they are facing and that's why we've put €100m into income supports for farmers over the last couple of weeks.

"But I'm also really worried about the jobs that have been lost in those meat plants, and also about the future of the Irish beef industry, because if those plants don't re-open we know what's going to happen.

"Most of our beef is exported, 90% of it is, and those people around the world will just buy beef from somewhere else. We may never regain that market share. So there's a real risk the ongoing blockades are making a bad situation worse," Mr Varadkar said.

Asked about whether the Government is doing enough to help support farmers and end the dispute, the Taoiseach added:

"I think Government's done a lot already, €100m was put on the table to support the income of farmers, and we also have the beef agreement which is supported by the six organisations which represent the vast majority of farmers.

"What needs to happen next is for people to give the agreement the chance to work and in particular the meat industry and the meat factories agreeing to engage with producer organisations, because at the moment beef farmers are price takers."