“All illegal blockades have now been removed from member beef processing facilities throughout the country”, with the last of these removed last night, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has confirmed.

Beef processing is recommencing in some sites today, Monday, September 23, and will be fully operational later this week. Sheep processing has also recommenced in the west of Ireland plants, the Ibec representative body for meat processors added.

The provisions of the Irish Beef Sector Agreement, established on September 15, 2019, will now commence implementation, MII said.

“As processors recommence operations and try to return to normal business, a major focus for all is the prospect of Brexit at the end of October and the detrimental implications of a no-deal outcome for our entire sector,” the representative body’s statement added.

In addition, it was noted that beef processors are “engaging with their customer base after this damaging period to seek to rebuild business over the period ahead”.

This will take some time as many customers have made their purchasing plans without Irish beef and committed to supply arrangements with alternative suppliers for at least the next number of weeks.

“There will be a need for additional marketing and promotional activity to support Irish beef in the period ahead and MII will discuss this with the Department of Agriculture and Bord Bia,” MII added.