The lifting of further blockades over beef prices has been welcomed.
Protesters outside beef factories in Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Clare, Kilkenny and Mayo left the picket on Friday night, a few hours after farmers at ABP Cahir stood down.
Alison De Vere Hunt, who was among the protesters at Cahir, said demonstrators are “hopeful that a process has started to bring about reform”.
“We do not know what the future will hold but you can be assured we will not settle for empty promises and have no reservations in again highlighting our plight if necessary,” she added.
Protests have plagued the sector for weeks as farmers picket the gates of meat-producing plants across Ireland over the price of beef, which is at its lowest in years.
Many farmers claim they are struggling to survive and will be forced out of business without Government intervention.
Independent TD Mattie McGrath welcomed the standing down of the protest in Cahir.
“I think the decision by the farmers in Cahir, and indeed their supporters, to step away from the factory gates, will give us all much-needed breathing space to assess and plot a way forward that will enable farmer and factory worker to be protected and that is something I very much welcome,” he said.
Independent Farmers Ireland told RTE: “When this group is added to Slane, ABP Ferrybank, Slaney, Nenagh, Rathkeale and Roscrea it is quite clear that the majority of the protesters have decided that the proposal agreed last Sunday, while not ideal, provides the best blueprint for the future.
“The Independent Farmers of Ireland wish to thank all the brave men and women who walked these protests and who made the difficult decision to stand down.
"They started this process for the greater good and clearly tonight they followed the same course. Hopefully over the weekend other protests will decide to follow the same course of action and perhaps next week we will all be able to return our farms with a hopeful view of the future.”
