Dozens of livestock farmers are blockading the Department of Agriculture in Dublin this afternoon in protest against falling beef prices.
The Irish Farmers Association says Minister Simon Coveney has been “asleep at the wheel” – and has sided with factories and retailers who are ‘driving prices down’.
The farmers say they plan on staying outside the Department as “long as it takes’ for the Minister to Respond.
Up to 50 farmers marched on the Department of Agriculture on Kildare Street at noon this afternoon and demanded to speak to Minister Simon Coveney.
Once they were met with no response they began to build a barricade of hay bales outside.
They say they’re voicing their anger at a Minister who they say has sided with industry instead of smaller farmers.
The demonstrators are still outside the Department and say they have no intention of standing down at this stage.
They say Simon Coveney is too focused on his next job at Cabinet – instead of looking out for their interest.
IFA President Eddie Downey says the protest will continue overnight if it has to.
