The North Cork Creameries debacle continues to rumble on. It is no surprise to hear that many disgruntled suppliers have handed in their notice, given the complete lack of communication from management.

The sense of dithering and delayed decision-making hasn’t made any of the problems go away. How can we have a situation where employees are on full pay even though they are not working? Meanwhile, the farmer owners are taking a haircut on milk price as outlined by Aidan Brennan this week.

It calls into question what the board have been at, as issues with the EPA and the waste water treatment plant have been going on for years. The co-op is now on its third CEO in five months.

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Repeated attempts by the Irish Farmers Journal to contact the management of North Cork Creameries for an update on redundancies and future plans for the business have been ignored.

At the very least, shareholders are due a full update on the financial position of the co-op. We know the full annual report isn’t due to be published until later in the year, but an interim statement is required, much like Aurivo presented to its members in recent weeks albeit under different circumstances.

Farmers making decisions need to have this information to hand as quickly as possible. Keeping suppliers in the dark is unacceptable.

We understand the co-op has bank debts of over €7m, which is significant for a business with little or no revenue but substantial costs. We also understand that it has significant trade debtors. The concern for suppliers and workers is that the co-op will continue to trade until it can’t and then what? Will we have a nightmare scenario that a milk cheque won’t be paid?

The ironic thing is that we have neighbouring co-ops in strong financial positions willing and able to help. The board of directors is responsible for the business and must avoid any accusations of reckless trading both now and in the future.

While it is understandable that suppliers are looking to leave, this poses another big risk to the co-op and indeed to individual suppliers. If the co-op breaks apart and farmers go different ways, some farmers risk being left behind.

The milk pool as a complete package is likely to be of interest to a number of co-ops, including Kerry Dairy Ireland, Dairygold, Arratipp and Carbery. Breaking it up into parts could leave smaller producers by the wayside without a home for their product.

Within this debacle are 120 North Cork Creameries workers, most of whom are facing a very uncertain future.

At this stage, a good outcome for all concerned would be for farmer suppliers to get a better milk price and for the employees to have job certainty.

Whether or not that happens under the North Cork Creameries signage is a secondary concern.

Any self-preservation ideology should now be put aside to try and get a solution that is in the best interests of suppliers and shareholders.