The Garavelli brothers, Paolo and Davide, are interested in getting into the meat business, I notice. For some weeks now, news has been circulating that they have expressed interest in acquiring an abattoir.

The brothers have run their eyes over a number of possible premises and are in ongoing negotiations with the owner of the former horse abattoir in Banaher, Co Offaly. It is at Meenwaun, two and a half miles outside Banaher, just off the Banaher-to-Birr road.

Owned by auctioneer Damian Lynch, the abattoir is relatively small but in good condition. It is set out to EU standards and has been halal-approved. It came to unfortunate national attention in 2013 during the horsemeat scandal. A Department of Agriculture visit there on Friday 8 March found 25 horses awaiting slaughter that had irregularities relating to their passports and microchips.

The Department temporally halted operations of the company leasing the plant, Ossory Meats, to carry out further investigations, but then allowed it resume operations after a number of weeks. No slaughtering is being carried out there at the moment.

The Garavellis are rumoured to be interested in supplying beef and sheepmeat to the high-value Italian market, where they have long-established and successful contacts. It remains to be seen whether negotiations over the plant are successfully concluded over coming weeks.

The Dealer asked a representative of the family about the news and this was the reply: “Paolo and Davide Garavelli are continuing to operate in the beef industry by identifying opportunities that arise in their areas of expertise.

“Over the past 30 years, they have regularly seen situations abroad where there were mismatches with Ireland between cattle quality, pricing, timing and finishing, and this remains the case today.”