The Beef Plan Movement and Meat Industry Ireland have agreed to hold talks on Monday aimed at resolving the dispute that has 22 factories either shut down or working below capacity.
All protests are to be suspended by the Beef Plan and Meat Industry Ireland will suspend legal proceedings.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed’s office issued a statement on Friday evening: “The Minister for Agriculture Food and Marine Michael Creed has today confirmed that the Beef Plan Movement and Meat Industry Ireland (MII) have accepted his compromise proposals aimed at breaking the ongoing impasse between the two parties."
Suspended
“All protests at meat processing plants and legal proceedings are to be suspended with immediate effect until the agreed talks have concluded.
“A meeting will be held on Monday 12 August involving both MII and the Beef Plan Movement and also including representatives from the farm organisations, the Department and its agencies.
“The minister will appoint an independent chairperson who will preside over an agreed agenda.”
It is understood that Minister Creed personally intervened to speak to senior figures in meat processors on Friday morning to ask them to suspend their legal action.
Beef Plan Movement reaction
In a statement issued on its Whatsapp group network, the Beef Plan Movement wrote: “An agreement has been reached with Minister Creed, following what we and others consider to be heavy-handed tactics by Meat Industry Ireland through the introduction of legal proceedings that could ultimately end in the High Court.”
No option
“The introduction of these legal proceedings has forced us into a position where we have no option but to agree to suspend our protests with immediate effect until talks conclude,” the statement read.
“Talks are scheduled to take place on Monday 12 August. If we are not satisfied that sufficient progress is being made, we will leave the talks and resume our protests with immediate effect on Monday night.
“At the wishes of Minister Creed, all beef industry stakeholders have been invited to the meeting.”
It said that further updates would follow.
Meat Industry Ireland statement
Meat Industry Ireland welcomed the move by Minister Creed to convene the talks.
“These protests had brought beef processing to a virtual standstill in the country, causing significant disruption in the beef trade and also led to temporary staff layoffs,” its spokesperson Cormac Healy said in a statement issued on Friday night.
Real damage
“Real damage has been done to domestic and export business as a result of these protests and it is high time for the sector to get back to business. Processing needs to take place if we are to avoid losing more customers for Irish beef and lamb,” Healy said.
“As part of this agreement, Beef Plan has committed to suspend all protests with immediate effect and MII members have agreed to suspend legal proceedings.
“Both parties are agreeable to meet on Monday under an independent chairman appointed by the minister."
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The Beef Plan Movement and Meat Industry Ireland have agreed to hold talks on Monday aimed at resolving the dispute that has 22 factories either shut down or working below capacity.
All protests are to be suspended by the Beef Plan and Meat Industry Ireland will suspend legal proceedings.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed’s office issued a statement on Friday evening: “The Minister for Agriculture Food and Marine Michael Creed has today confirmed that the Beef Plan Movement and Meat Industry Ireland (MII) have accepted his compromise proposals aimed at breaking the ongoing impasse between the two parties."
Suspended
“All protests at meat processing plants and legal proceedings are to be suspended with immediate effect until the agreed talks have concluded.
“A meeting will be held on Monday 12 August involving both MII and the Beef Plan Movement and also including representatives from the farm organisations, the Department and its agencies.
“The minister will appoint an independent chairperson who will preside over an agreed agenda.”
It is understood that Minister Creed personally intervened to speak to senior figures in meat processors on Friday morning to ask them to suspend their legal action.
Beef Plan Movement reaction
In a statement issued on its Whatsapp group network, the Beef Plan Movement wrote: “An agreement has been reached with Minister Creed, following what we and others consider to be heavy-handed tactics by Meat Industry Ireland through the introduction of legal proceedings that could ultimately end in the High Court.”
No option
“The introduction of these legal proceedings has forced us into a position where we have no option but to agree to suspend our protests with immediate effect until talks conclude,” the statement read.
“Talks are scheduled to take place on Monday 12 August. If we are not satisfied that sufficient progress is being made, we will leave the talks and resume our protests with immediate effect on Monday night.
“At the wishes of Minister Creed, all beef industry stakeholders have been invited to the meeting.”
It said that further updates would follow.
Meat Industry Ireland statement
Meat Industry Ireland welcomed the move by Minister Creed to convene the talks.
“These protests had brought beef processing to a virtual standstill in the country, causing significant disruption in the beef trade and also led to temporary staff layoffs,” its spokesperson Cormac Healy said in a statement issued on Friday night.
Real damage
“Real damage has been done to domestic and export business as a result of these protests and it is high time for the sector to get back to business. Processing needs to take place if we are to avoid losing more customers for Irish beef and lamb,” Healy said.
“As part of this agreement, Beef Plan has committed to suspend all protests with immediate effect and MII members have agreed to suspend legal proceedings.
“Both parties are agreeable to meet on Monday under an independent chairman appointed by the minister."
Read more
Beef Plan receives solicitors’ letters from five factories
Beef Plan tells members not to break the law
Commission rejects IFA claims on EU-US beef deal
Beef Plan has stamina but it needs a strategy
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