The weekly sheep sale at Ballybay Mart in Co Monaghan on Tuesday evening was cancelled after the mart’s licence was temporarily suspended by the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA).

The mart’s dairy heifer and cow sale due to take place on Wednesday has also been cancelled. The sale had at least 95 animals booked in – 80 cows and heifers in milk and 15 in-calf heifers.

No sales will be held at the mart until the licence has been renewed and it is unclear as to why the licence has been temporarily suspended.

All property services providers, which includes marts, are required to hold a licence issued by the PSRA.

The property services provider must only provide the service for which they are licensed, the PSRA said.

PSRA register

Ballybay Mart is owned by Corcaghan Co-operative Agricultural and Dairy Society Ltd. According to the PSRA register this week, there are several people who hold a licence to operate the mart.

The licences of three individuals and the co-op itself lapsed on 5 November 2021 and three other individuals have licences to operate into 2022.

A PSRA spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal that “Section 35(3) of the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 provides that where a licence application for renewal is received and is not determined by the authority before the licence expires, the licence shall continue in force until the application is determined.

“Instances where either a business or an employee’s licence has an expiry date in the past and remain on the register, such licensees are licensed and permitted to provide the relevant property service(s),” the spokesperson said.

The Irish Farmers Journal has contacted the PSRA, the mart and mart manager for comment.