Meat Industry Ireland (MII), the representative body for beef processors, has confirmed that industry will not be attending the ongoing IFA beef crisis meetings.

Tonight, the IFA is holding its third meeting on the beef crisis in Kilkenny. However, MII has said it won’t be attending. It said after the second meeting that a public meeting is not the place to discuss issues in the beef industry.

It has also said that it is willing to explore flexibility regarding carcass weights. “It is the view of MII members that a public forum is not the appropriate setting for these and other discussions about the future of the industry. Industry have confirmed it is prepared to meet with IFA representatives to discuss the prevailing market situation and await a response regarding such a meeting,” a spokesperson for MII said.

Tonight’s meeting in Kilkenny is the third IFA meeting on the beef crisis. The IFA, especially executives such as President Eddie Downey and National Livestock Chairman Henry Burns have come under intense fire at the meetings over the IFA’s handling of the beef crisis.

Meanwhile, the IFA has continued to concentrate its protests outside retailers and fast food restaurants at the price Irish farmers are receiving for beef, but not outside the beef processors.