The Beef Plan Movement has responded to a legal document issued on behalf of Dawn Meats, singling out one of the directors of its company.

In a solicitor’s letter of its own, seen by AgriLand, Beef Plan outlined that it totally refutes any allegation that it has engaged in any conspiracy in conducting or organising illegal blockades at Dawn processing plants.

The Beef Plan’s legal letter highlighted that Dawn Meats was present at the talks and subsequent agreement reached on Sunday, September 15, adding that Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed called on farm organisations to “sell the agreement” to protesters.

The letter said that the director name-checked by Dawn Meats, Hugh Doyle, was “acting in good faith, attended a number of protests” including protests at Dawn plants, “to sell the agreement reached between farmer groups and the meat processing plants”.

The attendance of Beef Plan Movement officers at any protests was in order to get the farmers present to understand and accept the agreement that has been reached.

“It is entirely inappropriate for your client to now issue a threat of action as outlined in your letter at this juncture when our client is, in the national interest, seeking to get the farmers on the pickets to agree to the agreement reached.”

The Beef Plan’s response stressed that it has “no control whatsoever” over ongoing protests, and has “consistently called on its members not to protest” since the first round of talks on August 12.

It stressed that the Beef Plan therefore cannot commit to the terms sought in Dawn’s legal letter.