The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed it will reconvene tomorrow, Wednesday, September 4, in an effort to “work a way forward”.

Speaking to AgriLand, chairperson of the committee, Pat Deering, said: “We have had a number of different requests from different members and non-members of the committee and we are going to decide tomorrow what is the best way forward.”

It is understood Michael Dowling will be asked to come before the committee to give an overview of the talks that took place and suggest where he might see a way forward.

The first meeting was supposed to reconvene on September 24 but has been brought forward in light of the current farmer protests.

“We will most likely meet again next week as regards what next steps we can take,” Deering noted.

“I would be very conscious that I wouldn’t want the committee to be a forum for members to be able to vent a bit of steam – which would actually do nothing for the process.

“We are very concerned by what’s happening. If our committee can be of any benefit to solve the matter, we will assist as much as we can in conjunction with the stakeholders.”

The meeting will take place tomorrow at 3:00pm.