Access to pens to be greatly restricted following critical injury of farmer at Mohill Mart

THE days of farmers and jobbers ambling around mart pens as cattle are being moved about, have come to an end.

Marts across the region have from this week put in place new security measures restricting access to the penning areas on health and safety grounds.

The ‘last straw’ for marts came earlier this month when a man in his seventies suffered critical injuries after being gored by a bull at Mohill Mart in Leitrim.

Following the incident on April 7 last – leading to the injured man being airlifted to hospital – Mohill Mart, along with three other Aurivo marts was closed down, pending a review of health and safety issues.

It is understood that the injured man remains in a critical condition in a Dublin hospital this week.

Now marts are implementing a ‘no-entry’ policy to the public as regards access to the penning areas of marts while cattle are being moved.

The health and safety issue has also led to rocketing insurance premiums for marts due to injury claims being lodged against them.

This week, the Manager of Tuam Livestock Mart, Marion Devane, told the Farming Tribune that it had come to the stage where the health and safety issues had to take precedence in the day-to-day running of the marts.

“What we are working very hard at the moment is to get all cattle penned by 10am on the morning of the sale which would then allow a supervised viewing period of the stock for farmers and buyers.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.