“A further 182 jobs are threatened.”
355 people have been temporarily laid off at the ABP processing plant in Cahir, Tipperary.
The job losses, according to RTÉ, are a result of the ongoing beef dispute, during which ABP has been blockaded for a number of weeks. While some negotiations had been taking place with protesters during that period, further job losses are a possibility.
In a statement, the company said that “a further 182 jobs are threatened before the end of the week”.
The company said that production has ceased in Cahir and that the job losses are “a direct result of the ongoing illegal blockade. The protesters have stopped any product going in to or leaving the site” and that production has ceased.
“Furthermore, these illegal blockades are impacting seriously on the thousands of beef farmers who supply cattle to the site,” ABP said.
The plant is a flagship facility for ABP, employing 650 people.
The company said it was dismayed that the protesting at its plant was continuing even after agreement with the main farming organisations to resolve the dispute was reached on Sunday.
Despite an agreement being reached, not all farmers have agreed to the deal because it does not change the baseline price of beef. Pickets are expected to remain outside a number of factories around the country.
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