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Irish lorries retreat after Welsh farmers' blockade

Seven lorries carrying meat products from the Irish Republic agreed to turn back from the port of Holyhead in North Wales early on Wednesday.

Around 400 people were at Holyhead to greet three ferries arriving from Ireland, two of which were carrying refrigerated vehicles containing meat.

Police say the protest passed off peacefully, except for a minor skirmish which began when an Irish lorry attempted to enter the port to return to Ireland.

A row broke out between protesting farmers and the driver of the lorry which is owned by the same company that saw tons of its beef burgers thrown into the sea on Monday by demonstrators at Holyhead.

Police tried to mediate between the two sides but the lorry was eventually forced away.

Peter Rogers, an Angelsey farmer who has become the spokesman for the protesters, said that he was very pleased with the way their protest had gone.

"It has been a wonderful night," he said. "I think the repartee with police and port authorities was great. We were given every assistance and the Welsh farmers have been a credit."

Representatives of the protest inspected cargoes of meat arriving from Ireland following negotiations with police and port officials.

A spokesman for North Wales police refused to confirm the number of officers deployed at Holyhead but it appeared to be in the region of around 100.

"From the beginning of this protest we have tried to apply the law fairly to all concerned - that includes farmers, hauliers and lorry drivers," the spokesman said. "We have to keep a balance and tried to let everything run as smoothly as possible. We need to be fair to everyone and that is what we have tried to do."

Holyhead could again be besieged by farmers despite planned talks between the Welsh Secretary Ron Davies and representatives of farmers unions today.

Peter Rogers said he hoped dialogue could begin with the Government and that they would reconsider their stand on the EU compensation. "We simply want to be on a level playing field with countries such as Ireland and Germany," he said.

The blockade follows the forced return to Ireland of six lorries carrying cheap beef imports at the port of Fishguard on Tuesday morning.

Holyhead is the main gateway to Britain for Irish freight. Farmers have been protesting against what they say is unfair competition from their Irish counterparts on beef prices.

British beef farmers' incomes have plunged since the discovery of a link between bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, and its brain-wasting human equivalent, Creutzfeldt Jakob disease.

Related Stories

Welsh farmers blockade port
Setback for easing of beef export ban

Internet Links

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The National Farmers' Union
The Irish Farmer home page

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UK Contents

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