The Larry Goodman-owned ABP Cahir has announced 100 further temporary staff lay-offs, citing a continuing blockade outside the factory as the reason.

In total, 455 people have been laid off by the factory this week and ABP stated that the “protesters’ illegal actions” were putting the remaining jobs at risk.

Blockade

The company said seven men were continuing to blockade trucks and supplies entering or leaving the factory and that the actions of the individuals were causing considerable cost to the wider community.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that four truckloads of offal left the factory this morning.

A man sat in the way of one truck and was moved to the side by gardaí. No arrests were made.

At least one refrigerated lorry was subsequently prevented from leaving the premises for a number of hours.

While the lorry was parked up inside the factory entrance, a farmer who has 40 cattle to slaughter spoke to protesters to outline how he needed his animals moved off farm.

It is understood that protesters at a number of factories in the south of the country are in contact with each other, discussing their next move.

A number of blockades have been called off at some other factories, but many of the protesters remain fractured and are in disagreement over the deal brokered by farm organisations and Meat Industry Ireland last weekend.

Cost

“The illegal blockade has cost these local suppliers in the region of €6m,” the company said.

“An economic impact study carried out by Oxford Economics showed ABP Cahir’s operations also support a further 1,048 local jobs, and now these too are being impacted by the illegal blockade.

“Customers are also being let down and hard-won international contracts are being jeopardised as these valued customers are forced to source beef elsewhere.”

In total, 1,463 staff have been laid off by ABP since protests started around the country.

SIPTU has repeatedly called on the factories and the Government to introduce a hardship fund to support workers who have been laid off.

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