Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Department has said that these animals are not its problem. Once animals leave the island of Ireland, their ownership is not a problem for the Department to solve. Representatives of the Italian Government are saying exactly the same. Who actually owns those animals? They have not been paid for. It is legally possible to put movement restrictions in place until they are paid for but no one is prepared to invoke that power.

I fully accept the ethos and motivation behind the UK's Red Tractor labelling scheme. If we had a big domestic market, we would do the same thing.

The fundamental problem with the UK red tractor label is that it is restricting the Common Market. That has EU implications. The issue that needs to be addressed is the restriction of the Common Market because of the label.

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