Up to 12 meat factories have been forced to halt operations due to ongoing independent farmer protests.
The situation is growing increasingly tense, as protesting farmers face injunctions and several travel to the High Court today.
The closure of plants has caused a number of temporary staff layoffs in factories and SIPTU has written to Meat Industry Ireland (MII) calling on them to protect their workers from financial hardship.
Blockade
“It is the illegal blockading of processing sites that is forcing companies into staff layoffs,” MII said.
“There are also increasing calls from farmer suppliers to deal with a growing backlog of market-ready cattle.”
The plants in question are understood to be:
ABP Waterford, Cahir, Bandon.Dawn Grannagh, Ballyhaunis.Meadow Meats Rathdowney.Liffey Meats, Ballyjamesduff, Hacketstown, Ballinasloe.Slaney Meats.Kildare Chilling.Kepak Ennis. It’s also understood that protests may have commenced outside Kepak Athleague.
MII is in a difficult position, caught between farmers and SIPTU, while in the background they are also trying to push ahead with the inspection of plants by a delegation of Chinese beef inspectors.
Chinese inspections
The Chinese have the power to grant approval to plants to export to the growing Asian market and the meetings have taken a significant amount of time to arrange. It is understood that inspections went ahead in Meadow Meats Rathdowney and ABP Cahir on Thursday.
Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has called on protesters to “act responsibly for the good of sector” and warned that “significantly” more staff layoffs can be expected if protests continue.
Read more
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Dawn Meats pursues farmer protester in High Court
Up to 12 meat factories have been forced to halt operations due to ongoing independent farmer protests.
The situation is growing increasingly tense, as protesting farmers face injunctions and several travel to the High Court today.
The closure of plants has caused a number of temporary staff layoffs in factories and SIPTU has written to Meat Industry Ireland (MII) calling on them to protect their workers from financial hardship.
Blockade
“It is the illegal blockading of processing sites that is forcing companies into staff layoffs,” MII said.
“There are also increasing calls from farmer suppliers to deal with a growing backlog of market-ready cattle.”
The plants in question are understood to be:
ABP Waterford, Cahir, Bandon.Dawn Grannagh, Ballyhaunis.Meadow Meats Rathdowney.Liffey Meats, Ballyjamesduff, Hacketstown, Ballinasloe.Slaney Meats.Kildare Chilling.Kepak Ennis. It’s also understood that protests may have commenced outside Kepak Athleague.
MII is in a difficult position, caught between farmers and SIPTU, while in the background they are also trying to push ahead with the inspection of plants by a delegation of Chinese beef inspectors.
Chinese inspections
The Chinese have the power to grant approval to plants to export to the growing Asian market and the meetings have taken a significant amount of time to arrange. It is understood that inspections went ahead in Meadow Meats Rathdowney and ABP Cahir on Thursday.
Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has called on protesters to “act responsibly for the good of sector” and warned that “significantly” more staff layoffs can be expected if protests continue.
Read more
Minister accused of reneging on €35m ANC payment promise
IFA 'utterly opposed' to jail threat to farmers
Dawn Meats pursues farmer protester in High Court
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