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Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has been called on to intervene in the ongoing standoff between beef farmers and factories by Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald.
McDonald visited protesting farmers outside Liffey Meats Ballyjamesduff on Thursday evening 8 August along with Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy.
She said beef farmers did not want to be on the picket lines, but were there because they believed they have no choice.
Farmers’ livelihoods were under threat and the family farm model would cease to exist unless drastic action was taken, McDonald said.
Talks
She insisted that the Minister had a responsibility to farmers and his actions in repeating preconditions laid down by Meat Industry Ireland (MII) were unacceptable.
She said the Minister must insist MII meet with farm organisations without preconditions.
“The fact that the industry has been willing to threaten legal action against farmers and lay off workers rather than engage in talks has been telling.
"The meat plant workers have been innocent victims in this dispute, their livelihoods also depend on a speedy resolution to this situation,” McDonald said.
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