The injunctions which remain on two farmers who protested outside C&D Foods during the beef protests dominated Dáil questions to Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed on Tuesday.

Part of the terms of the beef agreement was that all legal proceedings against farmers by meat processors would be dropped. Members of the opposition called on Minister Creed to ensure this happened.

Speaking in the Dáíl, the minister said C&D Foods was a legal entity outside the remit of Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and it was not covered under the terms of the agreement.

He said: “My department doesn't have the leverage that has been alleged to be able to waive these away. That’s an issue for the company themselves to make.”

He added that while he had not made direct contact with C&D Foods, he had made contact with ABP.

Stall

Independent TD Denis Naughten said ABP had effectively stalled the meeting of the beef task force by leaving the injunctions in place.

C&D Foods is a pet food manufacturer based in Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, and is wholly owned by Larry Goodman’s ABP Group.

Local Fine Gael councillor Pauric Bready and part-time farmer Colm Leonard had injunctions taken against them by C&D Foods.

Protest

It led to angry scenes outside the Department of Agriculture on Monday, where the first meeting of the beef task force was due to take place. The meeting was postponed as farmers protested outside the building and prevented a delegation from MII from entering.

Minister Creed said it was a “great pity” that the meeting could not go ahead. He said protesters had engaged in behaviour outside acceptable norms and “intimidatory tactics” had been used.

Read more

Minister Creed defends December payment date for beef schemes

Angry farmers demand legal injunctions are lifted