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Ardee Mart
This is a new mart and so is well laid out in terms of safety and efficiency. It already has restrictions on movement of farmer customers into the lairage during sale time when cattle are moving.
Athenry Mart
The mart already has a strong focus on safety and the board will meet next week for further discussions on the issue.
Current measures: a safe walkway was installed last year; staff members are present at loading areas. Patrons are not allowed follow cattle up into the liarage area.
Balla Mart (Aurivo)
As publicly announced, new health and safety procedures will be in place from this week. Only trained staff will be allowed in the sales yard and new rules will apply on customer access to various locations.
“The health and safety of our customers, members and employees is of paramount importance,” management said.
Ballina Mart
Mart management and staff currently reviewing safety.
“More than likely in the next few weeks we will limit access to areas where cattle are moving.”
Ballinasloe Mart
“Our main aim is to get cattle in before 10am,” a staff member said. “Viewing of cattle will be allowed from 10am until 10.45am. No cattle will be taken into the pen area during this time. At 10.45 the lairage will be closed and any remaining cattle will be taken in. The lairage area will be closed during the sale.”
Ballinrobe Mart
New health and safety procedures will be operational when this Aurivo Co-op mart reopens.
“Only marts staff will be allowed in the sales yard and new rules will apply in relation to customer access to various areas of the mart. The health and safety of our customers, members and employees is of paramount importance.”
Ballyjamesduff Mart
The mart has been planning movement restrictions for some time now, a member of management said. The committee was due to meet on Thursday evening on the issue.
“There are no general restrictions in place at the minute. The mart is lucky enough to have walkways in place. We probably will now have to try and restrict people to using the walkway.”
Ballymahon Mart
A member of management said the mart has no general restrictions on customer movement at the minute, “but people with no business in the lairage area are asked to stay clear, the way it always has been.”
The safety issue was to be discussed at a meeting of directors on Wednesday.
Ballymote Mart
As with the other marts in Aurivo, new health and safety procedures will be operational from this week. “Only marts staff will be allowed in the sales yard and new rules will apply in relation to customer access to various areas of the mart.”
Ballyshannon Co-op Mart
A safety incident occurred at the mart last year. As a result the mart’s insurers, FBD, have visited the premises and made some recommendations. Safety warning signs have been put up around the premises to draw farmer attention to safety. Customers are no longer allowed to enter cattle holding pens. Staff have attended safe cattle handling training.
Baltinglass Mart
The mart has a number of safety procedures in place. On the morning of a sale staff members take in all stock, not sellers. Farmer customers are asked not to mingle with stock. “People have to be around the ring to bid,” a staff member said. This means that bids are not accepted from people standing between the ring and lairage areas, trying to get a closer view of animals.
Bandon Mart
No immediate changes are planned. However, the issue is to be discussed at an upcoming board meeting.
Staff want new rules to ensure customers have minimal contact with livestock.
Cahir Mart
No immediate changes. However, the issue will be discussed at a future board meeting.
Carnaross Mart
No immediate changes agreed for this week. Staff didn’t want to announce any changes yet because there isn’t a full plan agreed. “But we are looking into it.”
Kilmallock Mart (Golden Vale Marts)
Since the start of the year, the mart has had a safety officer on site during sales to keep the lairage area clear of customers.
“It has worked well so far,” a staff member said.
The mart has walkways already in place. “And 90% of cattle are picked out by staff at the end of the sale for loading for the buyer,” the staff member said.
Castleisland Mart
The mart was one of the early movers on safety. It already has overhead walkways and it has safe areas for farmers to stand in, fenced off the cattle passageways. At present, it does not restrict access by customers to the lairage on sale days.
Castlerea Mart
It already has overhead walkways and a safety officer on site during sales. Since last Thursday, buyers are allowed to view cattle during the half hour prior to sale.
“There will be no intake during viewing time. During the sale the lairage area is closed off. So far, it worked well.” The committee was to meet on Tuesday to consider further changes.
Cavan Mart
The mart always had a strict safety policy in place, a staff member said. But it’s not set up to restrict customers from the lairage area.
Clifden Mart
No immediate changes. The committee will meet on the issue.
Delvin Mart
Staff are not currently restricting customer access to the pen area. But the mart will exclude patrons from the lairage area during sale times, staff said.
“Livestock will have to be entered by 10am. Viewing will be for an hour prior to sale; no cattle will be taken in during this time. The structure is suited to holding an overhead walk if that is needed down the line.
Dingle Mart
Staff began blocking off access to one of the lairage passageways at the weekend. They will advise customers to walk around through the calves and sheep instead of through the cattle lairage area. More safety warning signs to be put up around the mart.
Donegal Livestock Sales
No immediate changes. “We will have to do it eventually,” a staff member said. “It will be restricted access more than likely.”
Tuam Mart
Tuam Mart has announced a number of changes including restricted access to the lairage area when the sale commences and cattle are moving in and out of the ring and after the sale when cattle are being loaded for transport.
Sixmilebridge Mart
No immediate restrictions put in place. Farmers are told to keep wild cattle or bulls out of the yard, a staff member said. Staff are advised to pay attention to safety. The mart has had no accidents in recent times and last year passed a safety inspection.
“We are considering keeping farmers out of the lairage yard but not at this point,” the staff member said.
Roscommon Mart
At last Friday’s sale farmers were stopped from entering the cattle yard. This week, the mart will “try to implement” a half an hour viewing before the sale starts and during which no cattle are moved.
“Farmers weren’t happy the first day,” a staff member said. Some customers have claimed they can’t judge cattle from a skywalk.
Raphoe Mart
Signs have been put up. Farmers are no longer allowed in the penning area or on laneways.
A committee meeting was to be held this week to discuss a switch to safe viewing times and the hiring of two extra staff.
All staff drovers are trained to certificate level.
Newport
The mart is considering what best to do but has not introduced new measures yet. “We’re a small mart and we can’t go with walkways,” a staff member said. “There will be a bedding-in time for farmer customers.”
New Ross
The mart has restricted access by farmer customers to the yard and to laneways and no customers are allowed enter passageways at loading time. It is considering holding a safe viewing interval before the sale. “But it’s hard to limit the farmers,” a staff member said.
Mountbellew Regional Mart
No immediate restrictions as of yet.
Mohill Mart (Aurivo)
Range of new restrictions and safety measures to be reintroduced as with other marts in Aurivo group.
Mid Kerry Co-op Mart Ltd
No immediate restrictions.
Maam Cross Mart
No immediate restrictions this week.
Kingscourt Mart
No immediate restrictions this week.
Kilrush Mart / Kilfenora Mart (Clare Marts)
Clare Marts have made major changes to their intake and exit systems since September 2017 and are now putting new procedures and facilities in place to limit public access to areas where cattle are penned, retained and moved.
Kilkenny Mart
This is a relatively new mart and it already has a walkway in place and restrictions on access by farmers to cattle pen area. The mart has a strong focus on health and safety, a staff member said.
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