Monaghan Poultry is to resume production on a trial basis today following talks with the Department of Agriculture. Its licence was suspended on Monday because of breaches of EU regulations.
A spokeswoman for the Department would not comment on the nature of the breaches yesterday, but she said that all production-related work, including slaughtering poultry, had ceased. The plant processes 180,000 chickens a week and employs 300 people. Fifty farmers involved in chicken and egg production are dependent on it.
SIPTU branch secretary Mr Jim Mullary welcomed the resumption of production last night. The chairman of the IFA's national poultry committee, Mr Alan Graham, said a prolonged suspension of production would mean his members would have to find other outlets for their chickens.