Mart calls off today's livestock claiming Level Five is 'unworkable'

Cavan Mart has called off today's livestock sale, as the manager deemed the Level Five restrictions unworkable.

Manager Gerry Murray explained that he spent yesterday cancelling business from farmers who had planned to sell cattle at today's sale. He estimates profit losses in the region of €6,000-7,000.

“We can operate under level four, but we cannot operate under level five because it stipulates that you must sell online and online only. And there was no ringside bidding at all,” explained Mr Murray.

He was eager to stress from the outset: “Of course, all of us are in favour of restrictions, bearing in mind the climate that we're living in, and we all want to do our bit.”

The timing of the closure, could hardly have been worse as this is a particularly busy season for cattle sales.

“It is the time of year farmers sell their weanlings,” explained Gerry.

He told the Celt that at busy times he'd have maybe 16 staff on site. They won't be needed until he finds a workable solution to Level Five.

“Under the directions of the Department of Agriculture we are closed for this week at least - until such times as we can conform with moving on to selling online.

“As I see it, selling online is somewhat an answer. Selling online under the restrictions that are imposed on us at the moment is very difficult.”

Gerry says he has spoken with a company about setting them up to sell online, and are “weighing up their options” for his Railway Road mart.

He interprets the regulations as only permitting one person, aside from staff, on the grounds of the mart at any one time, and that's by appointment only. Under his one person at a time interpretation, he suggests that the process of viewing, the sales, paying and collecting would last an unacceptable duration.

Guidance issued by ICOS does not support this interpretation. They outline that the actual viewing time allotted for viewing is up to the mart manager to decide and add: “When the viewing time is up, all potential buyers must leave the mart premises and bid remotely on line.”

“Any mart not online can use a tendering system as was in place last March,” they also clarify.

Mr Murray insists that buyers had adhered to the previous social distancing restrictions and that it was workable for marts and farmers. “I don't think the problem [of breaching restrictions] is within the farming community,” he says.

He suspects Level Five will be a step too far.

“I do believe there will be a quiet rebellion among the cattle trade people, because they need time to view the stock and need to know what they're buying. No one is going to buy a pig in a poke,” he says noting that “the camera won't pick up” certain deformities that can only be revealed under close inspection of an animal.

He voiced his annoyance by the short lead in time for level five.

“It's unfortunate that the minister didn't see fit to give at least one week's notice. Every mart works at least a week ahead with enquiries and bookings of stock and settlement of accounts – there's no consideration given to an opportunity to settlement of accounts that could be a week old.”