The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh has given undertakings before the High Court which are expected to result in the resumption of normal activities at a number of meat processing plants.
The undertakings arise from a dispute relating to the employment of Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (TVIs). The undertakings, which apply until the case returns to court on November 17th, were given during an adjournment of an application by six meat companies for an injunction requiring the Department to operate arrangements, which had been in existence up to October 31st last, regarding TVIs.
The Minister will continue to conduct the rostering of TVIs at meat plants, under the terms handed into court yesterday.
The Department will also communicate rosters for TVIs to meat plants, arrange recording of their attendances and pay TVIs as had been the system until October 31st, pending the case coming before the court again. TVIs would also not be required to use the factory clocking systems.
The proceedings were taken by AIBP Ltd, Kepak Group, Ashbourne Meat Processors, Donegal Meat Processors, Exel Meats and Newgrange Meats against the Minister, Ireland and the Attorney General.
The dispute follows a letter from the department to the companies of October 24th in which, the plants submitted, the department proposed to effect a radical and unlawful change in the way in which TVIs were engaged to perform their duties in the factories.
The companies claim the letter demanded that the companies take steps to facilitate the implementation of an agreement reached between the department and the organisation representing veterinary inspectors employed at the plants to carry out meat inspections at the factories.
The meat companies were never a party to the terms of that agreement, it was stated.
The plaintiffs claimed the agreement envisaged that aspects relating to the employment of the TVIs - engaged in carrying out work on behalf of the State and pursuant to the State's obligations under domestic and EU law - would be transferred to them.
Mr Justice Butler was told some meat plants had closed and were refusing to operate the new system.
All they were asking now was that the system that had operated for a number of years should at least operate for another nine days until the case came back to court.
On behalf of the department, it was stated that it had entered an agreement with the organisation which represented self-employed vets - Veterinary Ireland - which had accepted the terms. The worry was that if they could not implement the arrangement, it would fall because the department would not be honouring its commitment.