From 19 to 31 October the cattle throughput in marts amounted to 88,000 head, indicating that a 94% throughput is currently being maintained under Level 5 restrictions, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said.
The comment arose from a parliamentary question put forward by Irish Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns who informed the Minister that she had just turned turned 31 in the hour leading up to Wednesday mornings Dáil sitting.
“I have a birthday wish and that is just for a small bit of cop on in relation to Marts. What are your plans to respond to the crisis in the sector?”
Rapid uptake
Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on agriculture Matt Carthy warned that marts are the only aspect of food production that has been curtailed during current restrictions.
Minister McConalogue responded highlighting that thousands of cattle and sheep have been sold successfully online and that glitches with the service have since been dealt with.
“Protecting the agri-food sector and people in rural communities is the centre of my Departments direction since 20 October.
“From a position where a few marts had online systems in place in April, there has been a rapid take up on the new systems over recent months. Currently, the vast majority of marts are operating through online platforms with the rest following suit.”
Blended approach
The Minister highlighted that despite early glitches with online systems, cattle prices remain steady.
Allowing 20 around the ring when the system is down would significantly impact competition
“From reading mart reports in the Farmers Journal, the feedback from mart managers is that prices are holding up and are even increasing in certain categories.
“The blended option without a doubt will be the way of the future, fully online is the way it has to be under current restrictions. Allowing 20 around the ring when the system is down would significantly impact competition and prevent many from partaking.”
Potential congregating
Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy brought up the issue of poor broadband connectivity, calling for intervention from the Minister on the matter.
“Take my own county for example, in Monaghan 48% of households don't have access to adequate broadband. I would imagine if you were to take the farming community that figure is going to be much higher,” Carthy said.
“In many instances, there are a lot of farmers congregating around one young lad manning the phone. I’m talking about elderly farmers and this isn’t doing anything for physical distance, or protecting us from COVID-19.”
Read more
No movement from minister on return of in-person mart sales
Level 5 lockdown stifles mart numbers
Internet issues exclude thousands of farmers from mart sales - ICSA
From 19 to 31 October the cattle throughput in marts amounted to 88,000 head, indicating that a 94% throughput is currently being maintained under Level 5 restrictions, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said.
The comment arose from a parliamentary question put forward by Irish Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns who informed the Minister that she had just turned turned 31 in the hour leading up to Wednesday mornings Dáil sitting.
“I have a birthday wish and that is just for a small bit of cop on in relation to Marts. What are your plans to respond to the crisis in the sector?”
Rapid uptake
Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on agriculture Matt Carthy warned that marts are the only aspect of food production that has been curtailed during current restrictions.
Minister McConalogue responded highlighting that thousands of cattle and sheep have been sold successfully online and that glitches with the service have since been dealt with.
“Protecting the agri-food sector and people in rural communities is the centre of my Departments direction since 20 October.
“From a position where a few marts had online systems in place in April, there has been a rapid take up on the new systems over recent months. Currently, the vast majority of marts are operating through online platforms with the rest following suit.”
Blended approach
The Minister highlighted that despite early glitches with online systems, cattle prices remain steady.
Allowing 20 around the ring when the system is down would significantly impact competition
“From reading mart reports in the Farmers Journal, the feedback from mart managers is that prices are holding up and are even increasing in certain categories.
“The blended option without a doubt will be the way of the future, fully online is the way it has to be under current restrictions. Allowing 20 around the ring when the system is down would significantly impact competition and prevent many from partaking.”
Potential congregating
Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy brought up the issue of poor broadband connectivity, calling for intervention from the Minister on the matter.
“Take my own county for example, in Monaghan 48% of households don't have access to adequate broadband. I would imagine if you were to take the farming community that figure is going to be much higher,” Carthy said.
“In many instances, there are a lot of farmers congregating around one young lad manning the phone. I’m talking about elderly farmers and this isn’t doing anything for physical distance, or protecting us from COVID-19.”
Read more
No movement from minister on return of in-person mart sales
Level 5 lockdown stifles mart numbers
Internet issues exclude thousands of farmers from mart sales - ICSA
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