Beet farmers acting "as individuals" continued their protest outside the Mallow, Co Cork and Carlow beet sugar factories as moves continued to try to resolve the dispute.
The action continued despite a warning from Mr Justice O'Donovan that he would not tolerate any conduct which offended either the letter or the spirit of an interlocutory injunction he had granted to the Sugar Company.
This injunction prevents the Irish Farmers' Association , three of its officers and six growers from organising a withdrawal of supplies of sugar beet to the factories or taking any steps to intimidate or persuade growers of sugar beet not to supply beet to the company.
Yesterday too, a number of growers met outside Greencore headquarters at Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, but a plan to dump a load of beet at the entrance to the building was abandoned.
Beet farmers have been withholding their crop from the factories for the past three weeks leading to a shut-down of operations and the 650 staff being served with protective notice. However, despite the failure of nine hours of talks by the Tβnaiste, Ms Harney and the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, on Wednesday evening to move the issue forward, behind-the-scenes moves continued last night.
The Sugar Company, which could now legally force growers to deliver crops under court order, was studying the document put forward by the Tβnaiste on Wednesday night and was saying nothing to the media.
In a statement, the IFA said it had written to the Tβnaiste asking her for clarification on her suggestion that the company might pay €1.5 extra per tonne for this year's crop and the Government would appoint a suitably qualified person to help the parties agree the price for next year's crop. It was also drafting its own proposals on the issue of future price determination. Meanwhile, an attempt by the Fine Gael spokesman on agriculture, Mr Alan Dukes, to have the dispute raised in the Dβil yesterday, was ruled out of order. He had called for a speedy resolution to the dispute.
Greencore debt: Business This Week