Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for having had to step out and I thank Deputy Deering for having taken the chair. If the question I am about to ask has been addressed, I ask the delegates to forgive me for posing it. We are told that the genesis of this problem stemmed from a change in the specification for young bull beef. Page 20 of the delegates' submission states that in respect of young bulls, the UK retail requirement is for less than 16 month only and that there is limited opportunity for some older young bulls in continental markets - processor specific. I note from the statistics provided that, in 2013, 247,000 tonnes of beef were exported to the UK, 211,000 tonnes were exported to the remainder of continental Europe and 8,000 tonnes were exported to international markets - Russia, Egypt and others. In respect of that 247,000 tonnes of beef, will the delegates outline what percentage of it was young bull beef under 16 months and what percentages of it were steers and heifers? I would have thought that, traditionally, the market in the UK for beef exports was not for not young bulls, as I would have associated that market as being in continental Europe, be they animals under 18 months or whatever. There has been a difficulty, as was outlined in previous presentations earlier, about the Derrypatrick project, in which all players were supposed to have been involved, targeting, detailing and trailing a system in respect of 18-month old beef of 400 kg weight. That seemed to be the clear message that was being given by everybody. The delegates might also answer that question. I will return to Mr. Healy.