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

Ireland's trade with Britain accounts for 53% of our beef export volumes, worth €1.1 billion per year, at approximately 250,000 tonnes in 2013. It is equivalent to approximately 750,000 cattle, so there is much trade between Ireland and Britain. The British retailers’ long-standing policy is to market British and Irish beef separately so as to avoid any perceived confusion for consumers. This means beef must be sourced from animals originating in one country or the other; they are labelled as born, reared and slaughtered in the same EU state. Therefore, animals which originate in the republic and are sent North for rearing or slaughter fall out of the retailers specifications, as they will have to be labelled as coming from two separate states. I suspect the Deputy would like - as I would - this island to be one country but it is not at the moment, so there is a requirement for a country of origin label that is accurate. That is the issue with which UK retailers have an issue.

The number of such animals is relatively small in overall terms at 50,000 per year and there has been an impact on some of the trade in live cattle into Northern Ireland, which traditionally has been an important outlet for the Irish beef sector. Nevertheless, I am pleased to note that mart sales in the last fortnight are reported as strong both in terms of price and volumes being traded. As a result of the difficulties earlier in the year, I have engaged with my counterpart in Northern Ireland, the Minister, Ms Michelle O’Neill, in order to try to alleviate some of the pressures being felt by farmers involved in the cross-Border trade. We agreed to make a joint approach to the three British retailers who stock Irish beef, accepting that these were commercial matters, but also seeking some flexibility, given that this beef is produced to the exacting standards required by British consumers. I have also met separately with representatives of Tesco recently and we had a useful and frank discussion on this and other issues regarding the beef market generally. I have also convened a meeting with the Minister, Ms O'Neill, and those involved with the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, which will take place in Dublin in the coming weeks. This will provide a useful forum to further explore the retailer concerns and identify possible solutions. I will also meet the Minister at the next North-South Ministerial Council, when we will also have an opportunity to discuss the matter.

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While exploring these issues, I must also be mindful of the significant brand of Irish beef built up over many years and amounting to €2.1 billion of exports in the last year. Irish beef trades on its reputation and this must be guiding principle where changes to the labelling rules are under discussion nonetheless. I am of course fully aware of the temporary difficulties in the cross-Border trade this year and I am exploring practical solutions to alleviate this.

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