The Minister for Agriculture says he will continue to keep restrictions at marts under review.
It follows calls for level five restrictions to be eased at marts, from Clare’s Fianna Fail TD, who says the online bidding system “isn’t fit for purpose”.
There was chaos at marts across the country, including at Sixmilebridge, just under a fortnight ago, when the online bidding system crashed for two hours, on the first Saturday after the highest level of restrictions were introduced.
A number of cattle in pens had to be loaded back onto trailers and returned to their home farm, in a costly blow for many farmers.
This resulted in calls for Level five restrictions to be eased to allow small numbers attend marts under strict rules, similar to those under level three of the Government’s Living With Covid plan.
The matter was raised in the Dáil last night by Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD who says a blended system of sales, mixing online and in-person, is by far the better option than online only sales.
Meelick Deputy Cathal Crowe says farmers feel very strongly about the matter.
The Minister for Agriculture says clearance rates have been very high at marts across the country since the introduction of level five restrictions, and he insists that levels of sales remain in line with traditional numbers.
But Minister Charlie McConalogue has said he’ll keep the matter under continuous review.
