The Meat Industry Ireland (MII) delegation which was to attend Monday’s beef taskforce talks at the Department of Agriculture were “physically and aggressively” prevented from doing so, a spokesperson for MII has told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“A delegation from Meat Industry Ireland this morning sought to attend a meeting of the beef taskforce at the invitation of the chairman and the Minister for Agriculture.

“On their arrival, they were physically and aggressively prevented from doing so by protesters,” the spokesperson said.

Suspended

The meeting of the taskforce was suspended following “altercations outside Agriculture House”, a Department of Agriculture spokesperson said on Monday.

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed condemned the incidents which happened.

“It is in the interests of everyone involved in the beef industry that the work of the taskforce goes ahead,” he said.

Protesters

Over 40 protesters were at the Department on Monday morning, where the first meeting of the beef taskforce was due to take place at 10am.

Protesters confronted Cormac Healy and Joe Ryan of MII and prevented them from entering the building.

The talks were to be chaired by Michael Dowling, the chair of the recent beef talks.