Ballybay Mart’s case on its recent licence suspension is set to come before the High Court today, Tuesday, November 23.
According to the High Court’s legal diary, the case titled: ‘2021 303 MCA PROPERTY SERVICES REGULATORY AUTHORITY -V- CORCAGHAN CO-OPERATIVE’ will be heard by the president of the High Court in Court 4 at 11:00a.m this morning.
The case gets underway as a number of farmers have expressed concern regarding money owed to them for livestock recently sold at Ballybay Mart in Co. Monaghan.
Ballybay Mart manager, Mattie Gilliland, told Agriland in an interview (Tuesday, November 16) that the mart’s licence had been “temporarily suspended” until today, Tuesday, November 23.
A reason for the suspension has not been confirmed by the PSRA.
Ballybay Mart is owned by Corcaghan Co-operative Agricultural and Dairy Society Ltd. which is a member of the Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society (ICOS).
One farmer who received a cheque from Ballybay Mart two weeks ago was advised by the mart “not to lodge the cheque as the bank accounts have been closed for one week”, the farmer told Agriland.
However, the Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society (ICOS) is reassuring farmers that monies owed will be honored.
The PSRA is a statutory body regulating the provision of property services, including auctions at a mart.
According to the regulatory body:
“On November 16, 2021, pursuant to Section 64(4) of the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011, the PSRA made an application on an ex-parte basis to the High Court for an interim order to suspend the licence of Corcaghan Co-Operative Agricultural and Dairy Society Ltd., trading as Ballybay Livestock Sales.
“The High Court granted the authority an order dated November 16, 2021, suspending Ballybay Mart’s licence until November 23, 2021 when the Court will further consider the licence-suspension matter.”
Any matters relating to queries from clients of the mart should be addressed directly to Ballybay Mart, the PSRA said.