Macra na Feirme willing to negotiate
The Agriculture Minister Michael Creed is being called on to reconvene the beef taskforce as soon as possible.
Macra na Feirme's making the call, saying it's willing to return to the negotiating table.
Farmers who protested in Dublin are threatening to demonstrate again if injunctions against two farmers aren't lifted.
Macra na Feirme President Thomas Duffy says the beef taskforce must also address cattle prices.
"The purpose of it is to both ensure the proper implementation of the agreement," he said. "Part of that was to do with the injunctions but also part of it was to oversee the price index which farers are rightfully very angry about. It's demonstrating there is now a seventeen cent per kg difference between what the processors in Ireland are paying and what is being paid in many of our common markets."
Meanwhile, Retail Excellence Commercial Director JP Kennedy doesn't think shop owners will be happy if farmers protest in Dublin again.
"I think we'll just have to wait a little bit to see what pans out," he stated. "I certainly don't think there are members and retails who would have any appetite to know that there was a 'lockdown' potentially going to happen on December 15th. "
