A final decision has been made for Mountrath Mart to be leased out, after many efforts to re-open since 2019.
Mountrath Co-Op Livestock Sales Ltd., in Co. Laois had been closed since January 2019, with much work underway this year towards re-opening the mart and resuming livestock sales.
However, the annual general meeting (AGM) held earlier this year was described as “disappointing” at the time due to the “small crowd in attendance”.
While the vote was passed at the AGM for the mart to go ahead with re-opening, the meeting was adjourned due to a lack of support in filling places on the committee from those in attendance. The committee must be filled with a minimum of 16 people.
Acting chair of Mountrath Mart, Ken Holmes said the support to keep it open “wasn’t there anymore” and that a final decision was made by the committee.
Holmes said that there is some repair work to be done and “the finance is just not there”.
“We don’t have the finance there to do it up ourselves, so hopefully putting it up for lease will allow another mart to reopen,” Holmes said.
Mountrath Mart
He said that there “is definitely” a market there for another mart to do well in the area.
The mart has a total of four sales rings, seven lairages, over 125 cattle pens, 56 calf pens, and 10 loading bays. The mart is in possession of three weighing scales.
There is also 26.53ac of good quality land adjoining the mart, which can be leased with or without the premises.
The mart has facilities for washing cattle for shows included, and a wash down area for lorries and trailers. The premises includes the following: Office and staff facilities; Canteen; Toilets; and parking to the rear and front of the mart.