Mr. Seamus Scallan:

Spain will take the Friesian bulls up to a certain size, approximately 200 kg. They do not want them if they are heavier than that because feeding in Spain is much cheaper than here, as are labour and electricity, and the weather and the climate are different. They can feed the cattle much more cheaply than we can. They are interested in them only up to a certain weight. We must look to the north African countries to export the Friesian bulls because the market for Holstein Friesian cattle in Ireland is getting worse and worse. The only reason we are not in serious trouble is that we have been able to export the calves.

If there are movements on the cattle, the owner is penalised €70 or €80 because the supermarkets do not want the cattle moving. In this country for hundreds of years, farmers have moved cattle. Some people keep them for six months before selling them on and the next guy keeps them for six months and sells them on. A lot of money was stirring for the local communities, with people buying different things but all of this has been stopped. We cannot sell our cattle. The factories want cattle bred and fed on the farm then sold into the meat plants. There is a monopoly with regard to these movements and we must look into it very carefully to find out what the problem is. I notice there are people buying weanlings to go to Spain. It does not matter what movements the cattle have made. Ireland and England are the only countries of the 27 EU countries that have this issue about cattle making four movements. I believe this is a big factor in people in this country rearing calves and cattle because there is such an emphasis on the penalty if an animal moves four times, with €70 or €80 taken off its price.

In response to Deputy Kenny's question about the ships going to different ports in France, we can do that and reach the other lairage areas in time but there are no ships to do it. Irish Ferries and Stena Line are not especially interested in cattle for the peak times. They are bringing lorries to France which then travel onwards to other destinations.

It does not pay them to go to another port with five, six or ten trucks of calves. I see a lot of problems arising down the line in the export of calves because of the activities of Animals Angels or animal rights activists. If we do not all work together to exert a lot of pressure in Europe, we will have a serious problem down the line and I am not talking about in ten years' time. It will arise in one or two years' time.