There was a breakthrough last night in the dispute between the Irish Sugar Company and the Irish Farmers' Association, following intervention by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, and the Tβnaiste, Ms Harney.
Last night they announced they had asked the former secretary general of the Department of the Taoiseach, Mr Paddy Teahon, to act as a mediator between the beet farmers and Greencore plc.
The statement said Mr Teahon and the parties to the dispute had indicated they agreed to Mr Teahon's appointment as mediator.
"The parties have also indicated their willingness to work with him with a view to finding a satisfactory solution," said the statement.
It was not possible to confirm last night if the beet growers who have been picketing the sugar beet factories at Mallow, Co Cork, and Carlow town, had lifted their pickets on the plants where 650 workers are under protective notice.
The farmers have been acting as "individuals" since the Irish Sugar Company obtained a temporary High Court injunction against the IFA aimed at stopping the protest, which is over beet prices paid to farmers. The company's attempt to obtain an interlocutory injunction against the IFA continued in the courts until yesterday when judgement was reserved by Mr Justice O'Donovan.