Henry Burns, Laois

“While there are signals on the consumption, the reality is that supply is massively down across the world. All the talk is of further decline in Europe of beef supply.

“If we could get what we’re entitled to, which seems to be there, we need to get that quick.

“Because the problem is if it takes forever, we get this thing of the 5c, 5c and 5c.

“We need to see that price increase now to put the confidence in us to stay going. Because some of us are in the position where we now have decided we’re going to stay going, we’re going to do our best.”

Laois farmer Henry Burns. \ Lorraine O'Sullivan

James Geoghegan, Westmeath

“Two or three years ago, the factory protests were on when beef was down at €3.60/kg to €3.70/kg. Poland was actually at €2.70/kg. Today, Poland has gone to €4.90/kg.

“Poland has done a very good job at marketing their beef and getting their prices up while you have done a disastrous job bringing down the price of beef and letting that gap of 50/60c come into the market this year.”

Westmeath farmer James Geoghegan. \ Lorraine O'Sullivan

Des Gray, Kildare

“The Government promised a food ombudsman, we have a mickey mouse situation. [Minister] Charlie McConalogue, when he was in opposition, looked for €300 for the suckler cow which is not happening.

“You must think we’re a crowd of eejits but you actually just want to put us all to the door. It’s time you upped the price by the 50c. We are a member of the EU, we all have diesel problems, but why do you have to pin it on the farmers always?”

Kildare farmer Des Gray.

Stephen Canavan, Galway

“The reality is, every year come September and October, when we’re coming to the end of the grazing season, when cattle are approaching 30 months, the factories do the same thing – the price is down, there’s something wrong.

“The reality is, they’re taking advantage of lads’ 30 months quality assurance bonus and they’re taking advantage of people coming at the end of the year needing a few pound.

“It’s about time that the factories take a bit of responsibility for their actions and show a small bit of common decency to ensure that we have a bit of a margin.”

Galway farmer Stephen Canavan.

Tom Curran, Galway

“One of the reasons you pulled the price is to try and give the feedlots a chance to buy the stores cheaper.

“A man who buys stores for a feedlot, that feeds about 2,000 cattle.

“A manager in a factory told him not to start buying in August and September, wait until we pull price of beef and then you’ll buy cheaper stores and that’s what has happened.

“It happens every time that the feedlots get empty, you try and pull the price of beef to make it easier for them.”

Beef farmer Tom Curran. \ Lorraine O'Sullivan