Dawn Meats has moved to reject claims circulating on social media that it has engaged with protesters on enhanced pricing arrangements or that it is close to deals on pricing.

In a statement on the matter, a spokesperson for the company said that “Dawn Meats has not and will not engage on collective price negotiations as to do so would be in direct contravention of competition law”.

The processor stated that although it has received “four enquires on enhanced pricing over the past 36 hours from individuals representing themselves as Beef Plan members”, that is and remains its consistent position.

The spokesperson for Dawn Meats said that farmers “need to be made aware of the fake news and misinformation” that are circulating on social media.

There can and will be no side deals or negotiations on a base price to end this dispute.

“This would both be illegal and run contrary to the agreement that was reached in good faith over the weekend.

“Our loyal farmer suppliers have been disrupted and hurt financially by the illegal blockades, and we have a backlog of factory-ready stock from these suppliers to deal with before purchasing animals from new suppliers.

“We are calling on the minority of individuals who continue to blockade to pull back from the edge and stop their protests.

This will allow the Kildare Street deal a chance to succeed, and our farmer suppliers and employees to earn a living.

Dawn Meats repeated its commitment to “lift all legal actions against Beef Plan members as long as all illegal blockades are lifted permanently”.

Yesterday, it emerged that the processor had resumed a legal threat against a director of the Beef Plan Movement’s company Hugh Doyle, with solicitors’ letters exchanged between the Beef Plan and Dawn Meats.