Sales of livestock in Athenry Co-Operative Livestock Mart in Co Galway have been temporarily suspended.

Mart chair Michael Francis Murphy confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that the sheep sale on Monday will not take place and that Tuesday’s general cattle sale has also been cancelled.

Murphy is hopeful that sales will resume on Thursday for the mart’s sale of weanlings, calves, suckler cow and dairy stock.

He told the Irish Farmers Journal that sales have been suspended by the Department of Agriculture and not the Property Services Regulatory Authority.

'Minor non-compliances'

He said: “We are working proactively with the Department of Agriculture who have identified a few minor non-compliances which they want sorted before giving the go ahead to resume trading.

"We are working hard to rectify these and hope to be back trading very soon.”

The Irish Farmers Journal has also contacted the Department of Agriculture for comment on the matter.