Many people say the beef forum is just a talking shop but the Department of Agriculture was certainly trying to convey a sense of urgency last week when it held the eighth meeting of the forum in the National Emergency Room of Agriculture House on Kildare Street in Dublin.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Defence told the Dealer that the National Emergency Room is a large office space that is kept by the Office of Emergency Planning in Agriculture House. The room is commonly used for meetings but it is primarily designated as a space to be used by the Department of Defence to co-ordinate responses to national emergencies such as a nuclear incident or a disease outbreak.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture said the National Emergency Room is commonly used for conference meetings in Agriculture House and "there is no specific reason the beef forum was held there".

Given the income crisis beef farmers are in at the moment, however, the Dealer thinks it was a most appropriate choice of location.

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