Leitrim councillor rejects claims suckler decline will close marts

A Leitrim councillor and farmer is rejecting suggestions local marts could close because of the decline in suckler cows. CSO figures show there has been a sharp drop in the number of these animals across the board.

There were over 825,000 suckler cows on Irish farms in June of this year - down over 5 per cent compared to the same period last year. But Carrigallen councillor Paddy O'Rourke, from Fianna Fáil, doesn't think any of the five marts in Leitrim are in trouble.