The Agriculture Minister says he is confident the solutions and compromises needed to end a row over beef prices will be achieved.
Farmers are calling on meat factories to increase the rates they are paying for beef.

Members of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) are staging 48 hour protests at 14 processing plants around the country as part of the dispute.

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association held talks with Meat Industry Ireland today.

Mr Coveney - speaking at the European Commission in Brussels - says he believes progress has been made since the meeting on

Friday between the IFA and Department of Agriculture representatives, and he hopes a beef forum meeting on Wednesday will bring the tensions to a close:

“I am determined that in the next couple of days, building up to the beef forum on Wednesday, we will have solutions and compromises available that everybody can live with. I’m confident that the can be done,” Mr Coveney said.

“This is a time when leaders in farm organisations and leaders in industry need to keep their heads and work towards a negotiated solution.”