Ms Paula Barry Walsh:

In the transport of animals the primary concern is the welfare of animals, and that cannot be compromised under any circumstances. The sensitivity of the market demands that we only ship animals when it is okay to do so. When there is bad weather such as snow or storms, there may be a back-up of animals. As Mr. Doyle said, with the new ferry coming on line, we will have a capacity of approximately 80,000 per month and, along with the support we have given to farming bodies and exporters to facilitate expansion of their lairage in Cherbourg, we are underpinning trade and facilitating getting animals out, even in bad weather in winter time.