A row over who will pay increased veterinary inspection charges at meat plants led to a High Court order yesterday restraining interference with access to a Kepak meat factory in Co Meath.
Mr Justice McCracken gave Kepak Clonee a temporary injunction preventing a number of defendants and anybody with notice of the making of the order from interfering with free access to its factory at Clonee. The order, effective until Friday, also prevents trespassing at the company's lands.
Mr Edward Walsh SC, for the company, said a picket had been placed at the company's premises at 7.20 a.m. yesterday.
He said there was a dispute between the Irish Meat Association and the Department of Agriculture. The company was not a party to that dispute. The picket had been placed by farmers who were also trespassing on the company's property.
Earlier this week, the Irish Farmers Association accused meat factories of passing on to farmers increased inspection charges, imposed by the Department on the factories. In an affidavit, Mr Patrick McLoughlin, financial controller of Kepak Clonee, said the company owned and operated a substantial meat processing plant at Clonee. It normally employed about 250 persons and on average processed 500 head of cattle per day. All material processed at the premises was sold as fresh meat in Ireland and in export markets.
At 7.20 a.m. yesterday, a large group assembled at the entrance to the premises and mounted a picket. They had a large number of vehicles. These were parked outside the premises, blocking the entrance.
Mr McLoughlin said he believed those picketing were in dispute with the Irish Meat Association in relation to an increase in the cost of a Department of Agriculture levy. They were not employees of the company and there was not in existence any legitimate trade dispute between the company and its employees.
He was advised by his solicitor and counsel that the picketing was unlawful. The company would suffer immediate and irreparable loss unless the unlawful activities were immediately restrained.
The company was required to distribute from its premises last evening a substantial order of fresh meat. Having regard to the unlawful activities of the defendants and others, Mr McLoughlin believed it would be virtually impossible to remove that meat from the premises.