Farmers in the west with diseased livestock which could not be moved because of the 12- week-old Civil and Public Services Union dispute will be given priority when work resumes today at the affected Department of Agriculture offices, writes Sean MacConnell.
A total of 260 civil servants at offices in Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Kerry and Clonakilty, Co Cork, had been suspended by the Department in a dispute over the lack of promotional opportunities in regional offices.
Over 1,000 farmers found themselves and their livestock caught up in the dispute because they could not get the necessary documentation to move their animals off their lands for sale.
The most badly-hit farmers were those whose herds had failed the bovine TB or brucellosis tests and were forced to hold these diseased animals on their lands for the duration of the dispute.
The dispute also caused severe disruption to the cattle trade in the areas involved and some farmers were forced to hold on to stock which should have been sold many weeks ago.
There was a growing animal welfare issue as some of the farmers were running out of fodder for their cattle and could not afford to buy supplements.
However, following the intervention of the National Implementation Body of the new Partnership agreement, settlement terms were put to the workers on Thursday and Friday last and these were accepted by 88 per cent of the staff.
A statement from the union said that, following meetings of its members, it was agreed to accept the terms and return to work early "because of concerns about animal health and welfare related issues".
A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture and Food said yesterday that the backlog of work created by the dispute was being assessed.
"Priority will be given to those farmers with animal health problems and the staff will go on overtime to ensure that the necessary documents are provided to shift the backlog," he said. The ending of the dispute has been welcomed by the farm organisations and the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh.