Marts meet with department over 'return to limited auction process'

Two mart representative groups have met with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine this week to propose protocols that would allow limited attendance at marts around the country, according to the Irish Cooperative Organisation Society (ICOS).

ICOS Co-operative Marts, represented by Ray Doyle, and Associated Livestock Marts, represented by Eric Driver, jointly met with the department and “discussed a broad set of standard operating procedures for consideration by the Government”, ICOS noted.

It is hoped that the proposed procedures may allow a measured return to a limited marts auction process while ensuring compliance with all necessary measures against the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the groups say.

If the initiative was to proceed, stringent measures have been proposed that would be strictly enforced to ensure a limited and tightly controlled attendance of buyers and sellers.

They would attend by appointment only and social distancing would be rigorously adhered to during the process, ICOS said.

General visitors, members of the public or other farmers would not be allowed to enter marts under any circumstances while Covid-19 measures are in place.

It has been stressed that the outcome of any such discussions with the Department of Agriculture would be subject to onward consideration and approval by the health authorities.

“The proposals are intended to ensure animal welfare, to maintain the supply chain, to ensure continuity in the national herd and to avoid any glut in the trade of animals while also allowing for essential economic activity to take place, while foremost in our discussions is not to add to the spread of Covid-19,” the ICOS statement concluded.