Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and his staff for coming in and for the comprehensive overview. I have a few points and a few questions. The Minister mentioned the agricultural attachés. He might at some future date update the committee with a briefing note on the work of these attachés, particularly post-Brexit. It is not something I want done today but the Minister might update the committee on that because they are doing important work.

The Minister referred in his opening statement to the unfortunate and significant negative impact of the agreement on fisheries. We all accept that now and the reality is that we need to be aware of the supports that are going to be put in place, the ongoing supports that are there and what the Minister intends to do. I ask the Minister to keep the committee abreast of that because it is going to have a really crucial impact on coastal communities and it is of very serious concern.

We had a submission from the Irish Livestock Stakeholders Association. Every member of the committee would have gotten it. I was particularly interested in the issues it raised on the export of livestock, the challenges that go with that and possible impediments coming down the track. We know that livestock is being ferried through Rosslare. We know that is an 18 hour journey and it has an impact on animal welfare. I want to acknowledge the Minister's Working Together for Animal Welfare document circulated in the last day or two. It makes really interesting reading. Clearly, we have an issue in terms of working in partnership with all the stakeholders, science and experience-led public policy. The Minister identified that as part of his five point strategy on this. However, we have to get the message out that we believe in a consistency of approach in terms of evaluation and assessment of animal welfare. We also believe in a vibrant export and agricultural food trade. That is the challenge and that is the balance to be struck. The Minister dealt with it very comprehensively in his Department's new Working Together for Animal Welfare strategy which I commend to all the members.

I go back to two things. This Irish Livestock Stakeholders Association recommends a number of points. I want to take up two of them. One is the opening of a super lairage in County Wexford. It proposes the development of a super lairage in Rosslare Europort. A large lairage will reduce the journey times for exports and aid and improve animal welfare.

What is the Department of Agriculture and the Marine's role in all of this in terms of support? How can we deal with that? Clearly, there are huge opportunities in Rosslare Europort and I am conscious of the work Deputy Verona Murphy is doing in this regard. It is an important area. I would be interested in that.

This group also talked about the export of calves moving from 14 to 21 days, with stronger, higher quality and healthier calves leaving Ireland. That is what we all we want. This is an area and a challenge. It is one I would like the Minister to deal with because it is important in terms of livestock. He addressed all this in his statement.

The Minister might tell us how he is progressing and what his plans are for the establishment of the first chair in animal welfare and veterinary ethics at UCD school of veterinary medicine. This is one of the priorities the Minister has set out in his strategy.

What is important is that the message is clear. We rely on the export of live cattle for the economic viability of agriculture in this country. We need to bring everyone on board with us to develop that. We see challenges, of course. Europe and other member states were talking about curtailing this area. The Irish Livestock Stakeholders Association which represent the industry needs to be listened to. I ask the Minister's Department to look at its submission because it makes some valuable points.

I do not have time to tease out many of the other submissions. However, there are issues there and I ask the Minister to address them.