Another round of talks aimed at resolving the ongoing beef crisis will get underway tomorrow.
Agriculture Minister Michael Creed confirmed he will convene the talks between meat factories and protesting beef farmers "with a view to finding an urgent solution" to the dispute over prices.
In a a statement, Minister Creed said: “Now is the time for people to take a step back from entrenched positions and to take a positive approach towards resolving their differences.
"I have engaged intensively with all sides and have a deep understanding of the outstanding issues, and the emotion, involved.
"I expect all sides to recognise the urgency of the current situation, and to enter talks in good faith and with a firm intention to reach agreement tomorrow. “
Meat Industry Ireland (MII), which represents meat processors, confirmed it will take part in the talks.
Members of the group have welcomed the progress made over the past days in getting talks back underway.
MII said: "As requested by the Minister, beef slaughtering operations will remain suspended in blockaded plants during the talks.
"However, existing limited stocks of beef must be allowed have free movement in/out of meat plants.
"This is critical to avoiding further loss of domestic and export customers for Irish beef which would be to the long-term detriment of the sector."
It comes as Aldi today begins labelling some Irish beef as 'processed in the UK', due to supply issues as a result of protests outside major meat plants across Ireland.
Meath farmer Hugh Doyle, co-chair of the Beef Plan Movement, said retailers have to play their part in resolving the dispute.
He argued: "We need to be adults here - we need to sit down around a bloody table and find a solution.
"The elephant in the room that nobody talks about is the retailer.
"Our margins in the last ten years have halved - theirs have doubled."
He added: "They need to take the responsibility: they need to sit down with the primary producer."
