The Beef Plan Movement mobilised its troops over the weekend and started a nationwide protest at the gates of some of the country's largest processors on Monday morning.

The Westmeath group spokesperson Michael Kiernan told the Irish Farmers Journal: "The main reason that we are here is that MII [Meat Industry Ireland] hasn't recognised Beef Plan. We want to negotiate with factories on price. We are currently representing 20,000 beef farmers and we want to be able to sit down at the table and talk to them on behalf of farmers."

Vets

One Department of Agriculture vet who works at the factory and arrived at the gates of Kilbeggan on Monday morning while the Irish Farmers Journal was present, said he would not pass the picket line in support of the farmers present.

Finbarr Murphy, chief executive of Veterinary Ireland, told the Irish Farmers Journal that the Veterinary Ireland position was that “where meat factories are processing as normal. I expect temporary veterinary inspectors (TVIs) would also be working as normal”.

He added that there was no form of organised refusal to work by TVIs and TVIs were expected to continue to work.

Farmers

One farmer who arrived with four cattle in a trailer on Monday morning stopped at the protest to listen to the Beef Plan Movement concerns and then continued on into the factory.

A Kepak spokesperson said that there was an issue with vets on the first shift of the morning but this has now been rectified and it is business as normal as far as it is concerned from a beef processing point of view.

Speaking on what has been taking place, Michael Kiernan said: "We are not turning back cattle. We are not stopping people going in with cattle. We want farmers to hold back cattle as the week goes on so that we will put the factories under pressure for cattle."

Protesters said that they are willing to stay at the gates for at least a week and longer if Beef Plan Movement demands are not met.

Other protests are taking place at Liffey Meats, Ballinasloe, Dawn Meats, Rathdowney and Ballyhaunis, ABP plants in Cahir and Bandon and Kepak, Athleague.