An appeal by Tipperary farmer John Hanrahan against the decision by the Department of Agriculture to remove animals from his farm has been settled, a district court was told yesterday.
Judge Terence Finn was told at Dungarvan District Court that the matter between Mr Hanrahan and the department had been settled and was to be struck out by consent.
A department spokesman confirmed the issue had been settled on Tuesday night in Clonmel following discussions between legal representatives of both parties.
However, both sides had also agreed to a confidentiality clause, and consequently no details of the settlement could be disclosed, said the spokesman.
Department officials visited Mr Hanrahan's farm at Ballydine, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary, on March 15th and 16th last and removed 391 cows, calves and heifers on grounds of animal welfare concerns. The officials later brought feedstuffs to the 250-acre farm and agreed to allow Mr Hanrahan to retain his milking herd of over 120 animals. Mr Hanrahan subsequently lodged the appeal against the earlier removal of the other animals.