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Outside a McDonald's fast food restaurant in Dublin. RollingNews.ie

McDonald's closure 'big blow' to Irish beef sector, says IFA

It was announced yesterday evening that McDonald’s will be closed from today.

THE CLOSURE OF all McDonald’s restaurants in Ireland and the UK will be a “big blow” to the Irish beef sector, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has said. 

All McDonald’s restaurants in Ireland and the UK will be closed from 7pm this evening at the latest due to Covid-19, it was announced yesterday evening.

McDonald’s is the largest purchaser of Irish beef annually. One in five McDonald’s burgers sold in Europe is of Irish origin and the company says it buys from 18,000 Irish farms. 

The IFA said McDonald’s closure is a “big blow to the sector”.

It said the impact on the sector in food service closures “has been mitigated by an increase in retail demand”. 

IFA President Tim Cullinan wrote to the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, last week regarding support for the EU beef market due to the impact of Covid-19.  

“The Irish beef price is already well below the cost of production for farmers.  They cannot sustain any further cuts,” he said in a statement.  

The CEO of McDonald’s UK and Ireland, Paul Pomroy, said it “became clear” over the weekend that it was not possible to maintain safe social distancing practices in takeaway and drive thru services. 

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    Mute Fiona Weldon
    Favourite Fiona Weldon
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:41 PM

    If you can’t get your teenager to stay in , try shaving off their eye brows when they are asleep, stay in and be safe

    584
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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:44 PM

    @Fiona Weldon: Best idea I’ve heard all day!!

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 4:29 PM

    @Fiona Weldon: or paint spots on their faces.

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    Mute David GR
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:48 PM

    Good.
    Time to eat real food and boost our immunity.

    186
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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:58 PM

    @David GR: are you saying people only live on McDonald’s and dont just use it only as a treat or to fill a hole for a few hours?

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    Mute David GR
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:23 PM

    @Paul Furey: I’m not saying that.
    I am saying this is not a good type of food to boost ones immunity.

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:33 PM

    @David GR: Boost one’s immunity to Covid-19???

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    Mute Doug
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:41 PM

    @David GR:
    Thanks for the medically proven advice re. Covid19.

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    Mute A2 Poster
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:51 PM

    @David GR: It is impossible to “boost” your immunity

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    Mute Damien King
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 5:14 PM

    @A2 Poster: He’s probably pointing out is that having a healthy diet is better for your immune system than an unhealthy one. certain things are bad for your immune system, avoiding them helps your immune system.

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    Mute Ricky
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:54 PM

    Take a break from the whining about money lads, nobody is gaining anything from this except the people that recover from Covid-19. Everybody is losing something or someone.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:59 PM

    @Ricky: not everyone! Just the private sector…again .

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    Mute Ozmond
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:33 PM

    @Paul Furey: $hut up you f00l.

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    Mute Kieran Woods
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:49 PM

    @Ricky: off licences are happy enough I’d say.

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    Mute mark d
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 4:01 PM

    @Ricky: the banks will make a fortune, and international banks will make a fortune. Private vulture funds will make a fortune. Governments around the world will not even entertain the notion of suspending the international financial system to allow a response to covid-19 without the shroud of the economy getting in the way. Every response to this crisis has been late because of the worry of impact on different industries.

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    Mute JohnnyMc
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 4:02 PM

    @Paul Furey: get a grip

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    Mute Ricky
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 5:09 PM

    @mark d: If we all get through this without losing someone we love, then we’ve won some bit out of this. International banks can do what they like at this stage.

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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:40 PM

    You’d think the drive thu would still be ok to operate?

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    Mute Monika Broughill
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:03 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper: have you ever noticed how small their “kitchen” is? They are all basically one on top of the other making your mc nuggets. I think the risks there, other than the obvious customers queuing for their food, might be the inability to ensure social distancing among their staff

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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:36 PM

    @Monika Broughill: its for staff so, queuing in a drive through would make no difference

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    Mute Michael Bardon
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:39 PM

    I never knew they used beef.

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    Mute P Mc G
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:15 PM

    I’d say the cows would disagree

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    Mute Anto H
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 4:49 PM

    I hope the farmers maintain social distancing when they turn up in Dublin for another whingefest over this. Somehow Coronavirus will end up being Dublins fault

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    Mute nIpnilD5
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:46 PM

    Big Q for dive through in maynooth a bit crazy.

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    Mute Ananya Sharma
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:56 PM

    @nIpnilD5: You have a McDonalds beside your swimming pool in Maynooth? Iv got to check that out sometimes.

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    Mute Aido
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:00 PM

    @Ananya Sharma: Hilarious bro, cant stop laughing

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    Mute Fiona Fallon
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:04 PM

    @nIpnilD5: drove past that earlier… Some ppl are insane

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 4:30 PM

    @Ananya Sharma: are you saying that McDonalds is a bit of a dive?

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    Mute Kyle Mac Creddin
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 6:07 PM

    Guess what farmers, Covid 19 is a big blow for everyone

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    Mute Tom
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 2:59 PM

    I’d rather the coronavirus than eat that poison tbf

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    Mute King B
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:04 PM

    @Tom: Hmm a big mac or some coronavirus. I’ll have some coronavirus please, extra cheese.

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:35 PM

    @Tom: Yes yes….Irish beef, pure poison…..

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    Mute Ray Jakans
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:59 PM

    Hopefully animals will live longer before they are slaughtered

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    Mute Martin Woods
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 4:04 PM

    @Ray Jakans: no their days are numbered still

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    Mute Laura Crowe
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 3:13 PM

    A big blow to the virus also…it seems to like meat…

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    Mute Helena Lefever
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 7:50 PM

    Considering I’ve not been able to buy any fresh beef mince in shops for a week I hope that farmers can sell the beef that McDonalds usually buy to supermarkets.

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    Mute Mick Heery
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 11:54 PM

    wow i never knew it was beef?

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    Mute Shawn O'Ceallaghan
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    Mar 23rd 2020, 9:47 PM

    90% is exported

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