Farmers face radical safety restrictions at cattle sales as four western marts selling a total of 2,000 cattle each week remain closed following a serious accident.

A man in his 70s was airlifted from Mohill Mart, Co Leitrim, after a bull attack last Saturday.

Aurivo Co-op has shut down its marts in Mohill, Balla, Ballinrobe and Ballymote pending a safety review and an investigation by the Health and Safety Authority.

The latest developments have caused other marts to reassess how their sales are run.

Granard Mart, Co Longford, banned farmers from its entire yard this week, but may allow a short viewing period after cattle are penned in the future.

Managers at Ennis and New Ross marts said they had restricted access around livestock drop-off points after recent accidents.

On Thursday, Headford Mart in Co Galway announced it is to ban everyone except trained mart staff from its mart yard.

Skywalks

Other measures advised by insurers include closing off some passageways, training staff and ultimately installing skywalks above pens – though this may not be possible in smaller marts.

“Public access to all areas of marts will have to be re-looked at,” said ICOS livestock services executive Ray Doyle. “It needs a collective response,” he added, instead of any single mart operator carrying out costly investments and losing business through restrictions to livestock access.

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