Earlier farmers had warned that a protest at Dunnes Bishopstown Court - involving tractors and several members of the Irish Farmers Association - would remain in place until Dunnes agreed to come to the talks table
Access to Dunnes Stores was limited for a time this morning and car parking was reduced due to the protest which led to some tension between customers and farmers who were calling for better prices for their produce
In the past hour Dunnes has agreed to meet to discuss prices rises to suppliers to address rising costs at farm level
IFA President Tim Cullinan told RedFM News that he's happy to meet Dunnes Stores this evening on the basis that they would engage in meaningful talks:
"The blockade was about engagement and those phone calls came through to our office the morning from Anne Heffernan, the managing director of Dunnes Stores and we've agreed to a meeting with Anne Heffernan and her team in a Great George's Street, the Head Office of Dunnes Stores at five o'clock this evening. So on the back of that meeting, as they always said, the blockade would be lifted and look, we move on from here. We'll go into negotiations this evening and this is about getting fairness along the food supply chain and getting a margin passed back out the lines to farmers."
