The Agri-Food Regulator is seeking more in costs in a farmer debt case than the monies owed by Halal meat operator, Asba Meats to the Co Clare farmer concerned.
At Ennis District Court, solicitor for the Agri-Food Regulator, Evan O’Brien of Fieldfisher Ireland LLP told the court the Food Regulator was taking a new case against Asba Meats concerning a Fergus Ryan of Knockalough County Clare who was owed €2,388 by the Shannon based meat processor in October 2025 in contravention of Regulations 5(1)(b)(ii) of S.I. 625 of 2023, the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain (Unfair Trading) Regulations 2023.
Solicitor for Asba Meats, Clare Vaughan told the court that the monies outstanding were paid by Asba Meats to Mr Ryan before court.
Mr O’Brien told Judge Adrian Harris that the Regulator’s costs in the Fergus Ryan case are €3,212.
The amount the Regulator is seeking in costs is €824 more that was owed to Mr Ryan and Ms Vaughan questioned the AgriFood Regulator’s costs telling Judge Harris that she is seeking a breakdown of the costs “as they seem a lot for one case”.
Mr O’Brien said that he would provide a breakdown.
The case concerning Mr Ryan is in addition to the 12 farmers that were owed €308,897 when the case was last before the court in June and Mr O’Brien told the court that two separate payments of €17,160 have been paid since by Asba Meats.
As a result, the amount outstanding by Asba Meats to the farmers concerned is now €274,577.
This does not include the €49,609 Asba Meats owes the Agri-Food Regulator in costs which puts Asba Meats’ current bill made up of monies owed to farmers and Agri Food Regulator costs at €324,186.
Mr O’Brien said that the regulator “is relatively satisfied with progress to date” in the payments being made by Asba Meats
Mr O’Brien said that four payments were envisaged since June rather than the two that have been paid.
As a result of the two payments made by Asba Meats over the Summer, the amount now owned to the farmer owed the most, Denis Heffernan of Loughcurra, Kinvara, Co Galway is now €88,468; Fintan Keane of Ballyashee, Kilnamona, Co Clare is now owed €56,492; Kieran Kelly of Moneen Lower, Kilrush, Co Clare is now owed €44,392, John Stack of The Hill, Listowel, Co Kerry is now owed €34,016 and Kieran Dolan of Killeter, Castlederg, Co Tyrone is now owed €21,933.
Judge Adrian Harris adjourned the case to January 15th to Ennis District Court to allow further payments to be made and an update on that court date.
