Mart manager at Donegal Co-op Livestock Mart Eimear McGuinness has told the Irish Farmers Journal that the next sale it hosts will be back to normal with no restrictions in place.

“The Minister is going around to packed marts around the country hosting meetings and we aren’t allowed have more than 27 in our mart, it’s a laugh,” McGuinness said.

McGuinness said that she has been promised a meeting before the week is out from Department officials, but will be “going against the grain” this week and plans to have the sale take place without any restrictions.

It is understood that ICOS has requested that marts be allowed to remove remaining COVID-19 restrictions and is awaiting a response from the Department.