Tag Archives: Martin McNamara

CLARE Marts have confirmed that its facilities will continue operations under Level 3 pandemic restrictions. The Department of Agriculture had indicated that marts are designated as an essential service, but suggested some may have some of their operating procedures adjusted to take account of the new national restrictions. Martin McNamara, general manager of Clare Marts noted that since re-opening of marts in early June, huge efforts had been made to adhere to national public health guidelines and to facilitate on-line sales to reduce the number of people attending in person. He also expressed the hope that the move to Level 3 would make it easier to enforce the regulations. “The move to Level 3 shouldn’t make any great difference,” he said. “The rules are already being strictly enforced with social distancing, masks, sanitisers and so on. The bottom line is, though, that people won’t be allowed in if they have no business at the mart, because numbers are restricted until …

THE provision of a new farm-to-farm online service for selling cattle has been welcomed by a local farm leader. Emerald Isle Beef Producers’ Group have started up a new match up service for all farm-to-farm sales on a pilot basis since Sunday. Clare Marts has also decided to conduct online sales this Thursday and Friday and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday next week. Manager, Martin McNamara outlined all sellers have to pre-enter their cattle and are given a designated time to drop off their cattle. At a predetermined time, buyers will be allowed in to view the stock and the auction will start at 12 noon and any buyer will have to be online. This can be done by downloading the livestock live app and register with the mart, which can be done by buyers and sellers. In addition, there will be a full live stream of the online auction. Acknowledging some farmers are not tech savy, Mr McNamara said there …

MART managers in Clare are hoping national Covid-19 guidelines will be eased to to give farmers the opportunity of buying and selling cattle in an open market. It is understood that a decision may be taken later this week to ease restrictions on marts next week while still applying strict DOA and HSE Covid-19 guidelines. Sixmilebridge Mart manager, Sean Ryan confirmed the mart was matching farmers who were selling and producers who wanted to buy cattle but acknowledged it was very hard work and very hard to manage. Mr Ryan said marts were willing to work with the Department of Agriculture to facilitate a return to live auctions under strict HSE guidelines. On March 25, about 350 cattle were sold in Sixmilebridge Mart under strict guidelines in the last sale before the national lockdown. The mart has spent almost €2,000 on the provision of hand sanitisers and infection control. “Farmers want to sell and buy cattle and the most appropriate …

PERMISSION from government to resume the sale of animals at marts, under strict new regulations, has been welcomed in Clare. Concerns had been voiced by farming leaders after all marts were shut down last week in response to the Covid-19 crisis. After intensive talks about how livestock trading can continue at a time when hundreds of thousands of animals need to be sold, the Department of Agriculture has agreed to allow marts to resume operations on a limited basis. It is understood that marts will oversee the weighing, buying and selling of animals without crowds being allowed to attend. Each mart will be required to submit operating protocols for approval before being allowed to conduct any business. “Farmers in Clare are under pressure to sell animals on at this time,” said ICMSA County Chairperson Martin McMahon. “We’re a productive county and cattle from here go to the midlands and East and at least if the marts are available to match …

CLARE Marts has already sold Ennistymon Mart to discount supermarket, Aldi for a price tag believed to be in the region of €1.5m, despite strong opposition from the local IFA committee and local traders. Members of Ennistymon IFA staged a protest before a Clare Marts Board meeting in Ennis on Tuesday night, but the Clare Champion has learned Clare Marts is proceeding with the controversial deal. Clare Marts would not confirm the identity of the buyer or any of the terms and conditions, which it considers as “commercially sensitive information”. However, it is understood that the mart has been sold to Aldi subject to planning permission, which could take a number of years to secure. Aldi has also declined to comment on the deal. It is also expected that any planning application lodged by Aldi to Clare County Council will be vigorously opposed by some local traders and residents in the North Clare town. Fifteen sales have been held in …