Despite the announcement by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed that beef talks are being reconvened, an increased number of plants are being blockaded, according to Meat Industry Ireland (MII).
In a statement on the matter this evening, Friday, September 6, MII noted that the minister called on “both sides, processors and protesters, to step back from court proceedings and illegal blockades, in order to allow space for meaningful talks to proceed”.
The Ibec representative group for the meat industry added:
For its part, MII, on behalf of processors, has confirmed to the minister that processors have respected his wishes and, with immediate effect, have deferred legal proceedings to allow for meaningful talks.
“To that end, the industry would expect that protesters would also respect the minister’s call and suspend plant blockades immediately to allow the talks process to proceed as planned by the minister,” the MII statement concluded.
Beef talks
Yesterday morning Minister Creed announced the talks, stating: “There has been significant engagement with stakeholders throughout the duration of this dispute and I believe that there is now a basis for the renewal of talks between the parties.
“We have reached a point where it is critically important for the future of the sector that stakeholders engage in a spirit of compromise to resolve a dispute that has the potential to inflict long-term damage on the sector if it continues.”