Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has announced he will refer the proposed purchase of a 50% stake in Slaney Meats by Larry Goodman's ABP meat processors to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
It follows an Irish Farmers’ Association rally yesterday, which involved several hundred farmers with tractors outside the meat factory in Bunclody Co Wexford.
IFA National Livestock Chairman Henry Burns had accused the minister of leaning towards the processors and said farmers could not understand why he was adopting a detached policy on such an important issue to them.
A spokesperson for Mr Coveney said the minister will write to the competition commission and ask them to conduct a robust examination of the proposed merger in light of farmers' concerns.
According to the IFA, the acquisition of a 50% stake in Slaney Meats would increase Mr Goodman's dominance in the Irish livestock sector.
It said the sale would give ABP effective control over 30% of the national beef kill, 40% of the national lamb kill, and 50% of the six meat-rendering factories in the country.
