Several tractors have arrived in Dublin city centre, around the areas of Merrion Square, St. Stephen’s Green and Leinster House, for a planned protest there today, Wednesday, January 15.
Tractors began gathering in various parts of the country this morning in preparation for the journey to Dublin, with trailers, 4X4s and machinery of all sorts also making the trip.
The tractor protest is being organised by a number of individual farmers. It is understood that it is not being formally supported or organised by any of the main farming organisations.
An Garda Síochána is expecting a large number of protesters at the demonstration.
In a statement last night, a Garda spokesperson said: “A large-scale protest by members of the farming sector is expected to take place in Dublin city on Wednesday, January 15, with around 400 tractors expected to converge on the city centre from all around Ireland from early afternoon.”
Gardaí warned that road closures will come into effect in the city from 10:00am onward today.
The demonstration is being organised by a group of individual farmers who organised the previous tractor protest last November.
Following a meeting in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, on Sunday, January 5, the decision was taken by the group to organise a second demonstration “unless there is a considerable upturn in fortunes for beef farmers”.
“Rural Ireland is not being listened to and we will continue to fight until we get satisfactory results,” the group of organisers said at the time.