The Beef Plan Movement protest outside Liffey Meats, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan, is on day seven and showing no signs of coming to a halt any time soon.

Up to 60 farmers were walking around two bales of hay on Tuesday morning as thundery showers swept across the Cavan countryside.

There was a heavy Garda presence, with six members of the force and a number of Garda vechicles outside the factory premises along with the protestors.

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Carnaross man Pat Smith said: "I am very disappointed by the stance taken by some of the vets in the local area, passing our picket on a daily basis. These vets depend on farmers being in business and it's very short-sighted of them not to respect the picket. We are all in this together and we need their support."

Smith told the Irish Farmers Journal that factory officials opened up a second entrance to the plant, usually unused, to allow vets and factory employees to enter without having to pass protesters.

Cavan chair Padraig Duffy said: "We are urging farmers not to bring their cattle to the factory and stand with us instead. We're at a point of no return now and we're not going away until we get a resolution to this problem.

"The guards are keeping traffic flowing and allowing us to speak to each of the lorries that come with cattle to explain to them why we are here."

Gardaí present were moving bales of hay and protestors to allow vechicles enter the factory on a regular basis during the day.

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