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A civil servant was issued with a verbal warning after his bosses at the Department of Agriculture discovered that he was part of a Beef Plan movement delegation involved in talks with the then Minister for Agriculture.
Now, a State workplace watchdog has rejected the civil servant’s claim that he was penalised for being a member of the Beef Plan Movement by the Department of Agriculture for highlighting work and safety practice issues.
In the case, the part-time farmer and employee of the Department of Agriculture was issued with a verbal warning after his bosses became aware that he was a member of the Beef Plan Movement where he had not obtained prior approval.
The office of Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been sent a letter calling for the creation of an “independent meat regulator”.
It was sent to the Taoiseach’s office by Dermot O’Brien, who is recognised by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) as one of the Beef Plan Movement representatives on the Beef Market Taskforce (the other being Enda Fingleton).
The letter argues that such a regulator should have statutory powers to investigate “anti-competitive behaviour by meat processors; meat traders; bodies associated with the trade of meat or meat by-products; and retailers”.
Such an official, the letter argues, should be separate from the planned ‘food ombudsman’ included in the programme for government.