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IFA treasurer and presidential candidate Tim Cullinan and north Tipperary IFA chair Imelda Walsh were among the farmers protesting outside ABP Nenagh on Sunday evening.
The protest was originally instigated by the Beef Plan Movement on Monday of last week but on Friday the group said it was officially suspended as people were not adhering to guidelines.
Both Cullinan and Walsh told the Irish Farmers Journal they were at the protest in an independent capacity.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Cullinan said: “We’re here this evening, farmers from around the county of Tipperary are gathered here at the gate. They’re heading into a second week and I was asked to come in here to lend my support and I support all farmers. That’s why I’m here.
“We’re in an absolute crisis, there’s no point in calling it anything else. This crisis has been going on since the autumn of last year.
“I’m in here as a farmer this evening, supporting farmers,” he said.
Echoing Cullinan, Walsh said she was at the protest to support her fellow farmers.
“The last thing I want to see is the beef sector going the same way as the beet sector. I’m supporting my fellow farmers, my neighbours and my friends that are supporting this protest here at ABP in Nenagh.
“I’m here in my own capacity as Imelda Walsh, a farmer supporting my fellow farmers. I’m not here speaking on behalf of IFA,” she said.
Both Cullinan and Walsh called for Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to intervene and get all the stakeholders, factories and farmers, around the table to discuss the issues in the beef sector.
“Minister Creed is abdicating his responsibility to the sector and is ignoring the clear message from the ongoing farmer protests at factory gates.
“This crisis has been in the making for over a year and yet the minister has completely failed to face up to it,” Cullinan said. He said he wanted immediate and direct intervention by Minister Creed.
“I do not want further committees, working groups or talking shops. I want the minister to bring ABP, Dawn Meats and Kepak into his office with farmer representatives, to once and for all deal with the crisis,” he said.
Welcome
When asked by the Irish Farmers Journal if their support was welcome at the protest, Joe Trehy, chair of the Tipperary Beef Plan Movement, said “absolutely”.
“If we just all stuck together we would sort this thing out in a very short space of time. I am a fully paid-up IFA member … you can’t voice your opinion unless you’re involved in something,” he said.
Additional reporting by Amy Forde.
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