The 30-month requirement and realistic weight limits for bulls must be on the table for the two weeks of intensive negotiations on specs which are to follow Wednesday's beef roundtable meeting, the ICSA has said.

ICSA president Patrick Kent said there is "no justification" for continuing with these restrictions which he said "are not necessary for the marketing of Irish beef".

The ICSA is adamant that farmers must get a much improved price in order to be viable, and Kent said movement on these specs would go some way towards increasing returns.

The ICSA said ending the 30-month age limit, realistic weight limits for bulls, relaxation of the four movements/residency requirements and a Quality Assurance bonus to be paid on all cattle from Quality Assured farms are the key issues that must be dealt with for farmers to take the negotiations seriously.

Both McDonald's and Tesco were present at yesterday's meeting, where Tesco outlined their specification requirements. The ICSA said "it appears to us that 30-month restriction might not be set in stone."