A number of marts around the country have been forced to call off their sales after an online auction system went down earlier today (Saturday, October 24).

Online mart sales system Livestock Live (LSL) experienced server issues, a company employee confirmed earlier, stating that the system was down for “about an hour”. This has since been rectified, with the online system operational once more, the LSL employee added.

Ballinasloe Mart called off the sale it had scheduled today, sending home 500 cattle, while Carndonagh Mart has cancelled its auction, unable to sell the gathered 1,500 sheep brought there today.

Milford Mart in Co. Donegal also had to close up shop, as did a number of others.

Commenting, Donegal Livestock Mart manager and chairperson of Mart Managers of Ireland (MMI) Eimear McGuinness said:

“What I want to say as a mart manager is that this has been the worst two weeks of our lives.

“If there was a genuine reason why they felt they had to [close marts to buyer and sellers] I would see past it but I don’t because it’s no different to a shop. The GAA, everything else is allowed to go ahead.

Marts are so important to farmers at this time of year – and they closed them; as far as I’m concerned they closed them – they took the customers away for absolutely no reason.

“This probably had a major impact on the price of cattle,” Mc Guinness added.

The chairperson highlighted the frustration and despair felt by mart managers around the country, stressing that such a situation cannot continue under current circumstances.