3000 staff temporarily laid off due to the continuing illegal blockades

Meat Industry Ireland (MII) said today that 3,000 employees of its members have been temporarily laid off due to the continuing illegal blockades of factories and intimidation of staff and suppliers by protestors. 

Decisions to cease processing operations have not been taken lightly but in the face of the unwillingness of protestors to stop their illegal blockades, companies were forced to act. Some 80% of overall processing capacity has now closed, and further closures and layoffs are likely in coming days.

It is not just the direct employees that will be affected by the ongoing crisis, hundreds of indirect jobs will be impacted as ancillary businesses including hauliers will be heavily impacted by these closures.   

The Minister for Agriculture has tried to get all parties around the table to reach a settlement, and beef processors have always been open to engage in that process, but not whilst their plants are being illegally blockaded.