There was a tense atmosphere as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, came out to meet with protesters in Dublin in the early hours of this morning, Monday, November 27.
When meeting the protesters at the top of Kildare Street – in front of where the tractors are parked – Minister Creed listened to the protesters’ concerns and took questions from them.
There appeared to be a level of confusion as to who was speaking on behalf of the protesters so the comments and questions came from a number of different people.
Responding to a concern from Longford Fine Gael Councillor Paraic Brady minister Creed stressed: “I appreciate the protest you have made here today and yesterday but we need to make sure what we’re doing isn’t stepping us back more than bringing us forward.”
I’m trying to get to a situation where I bring Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and the farm organisations into a situation where they can resume talks around the table on the basis of the agreement.
Minister Creed noted: “This is something I have been trying to do since October 14, when that meeting failed to take place down there [Ag House].”
Concluding, Minister Creed stressed: “I will continue to do that and I appreciate the injunctions are part of the impediment.”