Farmer protests continue overnight in spite of injunction

Protests held by individual groups of beef farmers have continued outside a number of meat factories overnight in spite of a High Court injunction ordering a halt to such demonstrations, according to reports.

Yesterday, Tuesday, August 27, the High Court granted an injunction to ABP and Dawn Meats against the protests, which started up again this week following last week’s stakeholder talks.

However, according to RTE, a number of farmer demonstrations continued last night, at a number of locations, including: Dawn Meats Grannagh and Rathdowney; as well as ABP plants in Bandon and Waterford.

In addition, farmers in Co. Tipperary have vowed to remain at picket lines outside factories in Cahir and Nenagh, according to local radio station TippFM.

Under the High Court injunction, a number of plants owned by both ABP and Dawn Meats are covered by the order.

For Dawn Meats the injunction includes plants at: Grannagh, Co. Waterford; Meadow Meats, Rathdowney, Co. Laois; Hazel Hill, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo; Ardnageehy, Charleville, Co. Cork; and Greenhills, Beauparc, Slane, Co. Meath.

Meanwhile, ABP premises covered include: Bandon, Co. Cork; Nenagh, Co. Tipperary; Rathkeale, Co. Limerick; Cahir, Co. Tipperary; Clones, Co. Monaghan; and Ferrybank, Co. Waterford.

A key reason given by the processors in their application for the court order was that a Chinese delegation is due to visit the meat factories in the next few days to carry out inspections of processing and hygiene with a view to increasing exports to the Chinese market.

According to RTE, some 16 plants will be visited by Chinese inspectors in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the Beef Plan Movement last night issued a statement saying that any of its members found to be protesting at meat factories “will be expelled from the organisation”.