C & D Foods has issued a statement on its stance regarding “illegal blockades” held outside its Co. Longford premises in recent weeks, underlining that it is “managed independently” of ABP Group and is not a member of Meat Industry Ireland (MII).

Earlier today, Monday, October 14, a protest was held outside Agriculture House on Kildare Street, Dublin, where the first meeting of the Beef Market Taskforce was due to be held, leading to the adjournment of the meeting.

The protest was held over ongoing injunctions that remain in place on two individual protesters who demonstrated outside C & D last month.

In a statement this evening, the company said: “C & D Foods has invested tens of millions in euros over the last decade in securing hundreds of jobs in the Edgeworthstown area in Co. Longford.”

ABP invested in C & D Foods soon after the business was nearly destroyed by a fire in 2006.

The recent illegal blockades hugely disrupted the facility, staff were intimidated, and C & D Foods was forced to lay-off 187 employees and put another 425 jobs in jeopardy.

“C & D Foods produces 14 million units of pet food each week. C & D Foods does not buy or process cattle.

“A local Fine Gael councillor, Pauric Brady, and Colm Leonard, a carpenter, maintained a blockade at the facility, stopped trucks entering and leaving the facility, damaged exports and damaged customer relationships,” the statement said.

“C & D Foods is financed and managed separately and independently from ABP. C & D Foods is not a member of MII,” the statement concluded.