The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been urged by independent TD Carol Nolan to prioritise the re-opening of marts based on their importance in the food production process.
The independent TD for Laois Offaly had directed her remarks to Taoiseach during Leaders Questions in the Dáil earlier today (Tuesday, November 3) in the context of the ongoing broadband failures that are afflicting up to 19 of the 68 operational marts.
The Taoiseach indicated in his reply however that the closure of marts would not be countenanced.
Martin said that marts had already experienced similar closures in the initial lockdown in April, May and June with little or no adverse outcomes for farmers or mart owners.
In response to this, deputy Nolan said:
I think there will be considerable disappointment with the Taoiseach’s attitude to the closure of marts and his failure to accept the real impacts that the lack of broadband is bringing about.
“It was also more than a little irritating to hear the Taoiseach claim that farmers and mart operators will somehow manage to weather this one out just as they had earlier in the year,” deputy Nolan said.
“That kind of response shows that there is very little awareness of the potential for long-term damage emerging on foot of the current restrictions.
“I also understand that the Minister for Agriculture has also definitively ruled out the physical re-opening of marts to farmers by stating that marts. The minister’s only commitment is that the issue will be kept ‘under review’.
My fear is that by the time the restrictions are over – and we have no guarantee when that might be – there will be little of the mart structure as we always known it left to review.
“We must work constructively to avoid that outcome,” concluded deputy Nolan.