Kepak obtained an interim injunction in the High Court on Wednesday against the Beef Plan Movement Company Ltd and eight farmer protesters.
The farmers are Donie Shannon, Brian Eustace, Flan Sheehan, Pat Cahir, Peter Meere, Pat O’Rourke, Gerard Kerin and Marty McMahon.
The injunction restrains the farmers, their agents or persons acting in concert with them from impeding, obstructing or otherwise interfering with entrance or exit from Kepak’s premises at Ennis, Athleague, Kilbeggan and Clonee.
It prohibits them from intimidating or abusing Kepak’s servants, agents, invitees and visitors.
Judge Senan Allen granted the order applicable until Tuesday next at 11am.
WhatsApp group
Kepak said that the Beef Plan Movement had 14,000 members on its WhatsApp group.
It asked Justice Allen to direct the Beef Plan Movement to notify these members of any orders the court would make and to post the details of any court orders on its WhatsApp page.
This would be a convenient and efficient way for any court orders to be communicated to farmers, Kepak’s counsel Anthony Thuillier said.
“I follow that it would be convenient,” Justice Allen said.
However, he declined to give this direction.
In the Kepak application, Anthony Thuillier said that there were 14 other individuals protesting at Kepak Ennis whom could not be identified. “This is a particular type of case. We have difficulty establishing who is protesting. It is a guerrilla warfare scenario.”
We have difficulty establishing who is protesting. It is a guerrilla warfare scenario
He said that Kepak understood that the Beef Plan Movement had stepped back from the latest factory protests, but that it had marshalled the first round of protests and “taught the protesters the tactics they are now using”.
Burned truck
He said that a Tipperary haulier who worked regularly for Kepak was contracted to supply cattle to Athleague during the original protest.
“He was advised once through an anonymous phone call and then again in person at a fuel station that his truck would be burned,” the court heard.
“He continued to work on our behalf through the protest – hauling cattle to a number of our sites.
"On Monday night/Tuesday morning 25/26 August, his cattle lorry was burned out at his home while he was away for a few days holidays,” he said.
Chinese inspection
Thuillier said that the Kepak plants at Kilbeggan, Athleague, Longford, were due to be inspected by the official Chinese delegation in the coming days.
“I believe the delegation will not attend if there is a shadow of unlawful protest hanging over the site.”
Read more
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Cattle lorry burned overnight
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Weekly podcast: factories head to the courts and who’s getting what from beef?
Kepak obtained an interim injunction in the High Court on Wednesday against the Beef Plan Movement Company Ltd and eight farmer protesters.
The farmers are Donie Shannon, Brian Eustace, Flan Sheehan, Pat Cahir, Peter Meere, Pat O’Rourke, Gerard Kerin and Marty McMahon.
The injunction restrains the farmers, their agents or persons acting in concert with them from impeding, obstructing or otherwise interfering with entrance or exit from Kepak’s premises at Ennis, Athleague, Kilbeggan and Clonee.
It prohibits them from intimidating or abusing Kepak’s servants, agents, invitees and visitors.
Judge Senan Allen granted the order applicable until Tuesday next at 11am.
WhatsApp group
Kepak said that the Beef Plan Movement had 14,000 members on its WhatsApp group.
It asked Justice Allen to direct the Beef Plan Movement to notify these members of any orders the court would make and to post the details of any court orders on its WhatsApp page.
This would be a convenient and efficient way for any court orders to be communicated to farmers, Kepak’s counsel Anthony Thuillier said.
“I follow that it would be convenient,” Justice Allen said.
However, he declined to give this direction.
In the Kepak application, Anthony Thuillier said that there were 14 other individuals protesting at Kepak Ennis whom could not be identified. “This is a particular type of case. We have difficulty establishing who is protesting. It is a guerrilla warfare scenario.”
We have difficulty establishing who is protesting. It is a guerrilla warfare scenario
He said that Kepak understood that the Beef Plan Movement had stepped back from the latest factory protests, but that it had marshalled the first round of protests and “taught the protesters the tactics they are now using”.
Burned truck
He said that a Tipperary haulier who worked regularly for Kepak was contracted to supply cattle to Athleague during the original protest.
“He was advised once through an anonymous phone call and then again in person at a fuel station that his truck would be burned,” the court heard.
“He continued to work on our behalf through the protest – hauling cattle to a number of our sites.
"On Monday night/Tuesday morning 25/26 August, his cattle lorry was burned out at his home while he was away for a few days holidays,” he said.
Chinese inspection
Thuillier said that the Kepak plants at Kilbeggan, Athleague, Longford, were due to be inspected by the official Chinese delegation in the coming days.
“I believe the delegation will not attend if there is a shadow of unlawful protest hanging over the site.”
Read more
Dawn Meats pursues farmer protester in High Court
Cattle lorry burned overnight
Factories seek to jail farmers
Weekly podcast: factories head to the courts and who’s getting what from beef?
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