Beef taskforce to meet on Monday - who will be present?

The first meeting of the newly established Beef Market Taskforce is set to take place this Monday, October 14, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed.

In a brief statement, a spokesperson for the department said: “The first meeting of the beef taskforce is scheduled for Monday, October 14.”

Michael Dowling was recently appointed as the independent chair of the taskforce.

Its membership includes representatives from the Department of Agriculture, relevant state agencies, farm organisations and the meat industry.

“Agreed minutes and relevant documentation” will be published on the department’s website as soon as possible after each meeting of the taskforce, it was added.

The farm organisations that will be represented on the taskforce include the six main “recognised” organisations, AgriLand understands.

These include: Beef Plan Movement; the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA); the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA); the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA); the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA); and Macra na Feirme.

It is understood that the Independent Farmers of Ireland (IFOI) will have no representative on the taskforce, according to a Government source.

Each farm group will have two representatives in attendance on Monday.

ICSA representatives will include general secretary Eddie Punch and president Edmond Phelan; ICMSA delegates will be president Pat McCormack and livestock committee chair Des Morisson; and INHFA reps attending will be president Colm O’Donnell and vice-president Brendan Joyce.

Meanwhile, the Beef Plan attendees on the day will be Dermot O’Brien and Enda Fingleton; Macra president Thomas Duffy; and agriculture and rural affairs manager Derrie Dillon will also be present; as will IFA president Joe Healy and livestock director Kevin Kinsella.