Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I strongly support the development and exploitation of all available markets for Irish meat and livestock exports. Along with officials in my Department, I have worked tirelessly over the last two years to ensure Irish exporters have access to as many global markets as possible. The markets outside the EU that are currently open to live cattle exports from Ireland are Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya. The resumption of live cattle exports from Ireland to Libya earlier this year was welcome as it provided alternative market outlets for certain categories of livestock, thereby serving a market demand and providing increased competition in the marketplace here for cattle. Applications for the approval of ships for the carriage of cattle by sea must be approved by my Department in accordance with the Diseases of Animals (Carriage of Cattle by Sea) Orders 1996 and 1998. My Department facilitates the export of live cattle by ensuring such applications are processed expeditiously. Detailed inspections are required before approval is given to ships transporting animals. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine continues to work with all of those involved, including farmers and transporters, to facilitate trade and ensure all such trade is carried out to the highest animal health and welfare standards.

There are no delays occurring in the approval stage. Approvals are issued once all provisions of the legislation are met. Nine applications for approval have been received in total. To date, two ships have been fully approved. Three shipments containing cattle and three shipments containing both sheep and cattle have gone to Libya. A total of 10,991 cattle and 21,443 sheep have been exported. Some 1,879 cattle and 16,565 sheep were exported in July. Just over 2,000 cattle have been exported so far this month. I appreciate that some people have concerns about animal welfare standards in cases of live cattle exports. It is important to emphasise that our standards are higher than those required in any other EU country. We go way beyond the requirements of EU legislation in terms of things like the stability of the vessels involved. Most live cattle exports from Europe go across the Mediterranean at times of the year that are not particularly stormy. That is very different from bringing cattle from Ireland to north Africa in February, which involves travelling across the Bay of Biscay and into the Mediterranean. Our high standards, which are in place for good reasons and are based on sound animal welfare concerns, make it expensive and difficult for live cattle exporters to get all the papers in place for the operation of their ships.

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