ICMSA pledge to defend Sligo Regional Vet Lab ‘ every step of the way’
A WELL known Enniscrone farmer and member of the ICMSA National Council for Sligo has said that the association “rejects outright” the idea that the Sligo facility or any of the other five remaining Regional Veterinary labs operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine could be closed as part of a review currently underway by a Departmental team. Mr Des Morrison was speaking after an ICMSA demonstration greeted the Review Group when they arrived at the Limerick lab. It is understood by the specialist dairy farmers’ organisation that a closure threat hangs over Sligo, Limerick and Kilkenny labs with at least one expected to be closed in accordance with a Departmental review that ICMSA has described as “bizarre and retrograde”.
“The idea that this lab, which serves all of Mayo, North Gal- way, Sligo, Donegal, Leitrim would close with the thousands of affected farmers expected to make their way down to Athlone or to Backweston in Dublin is downright bizarre and completely unacceptable. This is one of the most intensive farming and food production regions in the state and these labs are the ‘ First Line’ in maintaining the reputation of our multi- billion euro food sector. We only have six veterinary labs for the whole state and Sligo is both busy and highly thought of by the farming community right throughout this region. ICMSA does not accept any suggestion that a vital piece of agri- infrastructure could be closed and we would regard that as a seriously retrograde step when all the evidence and logic tells you that the lab network servicing our crucial food and farming should actually be enhanced to deal with the serious challenges that we can all see coming down the line. ICMSA and the wider Sligo and North Western farming and agri- food sectors will defend the Sligo Regional veterinary Lab every step of the way”, said the prominent Sligo ICMSA member.