Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is interesting to see an increase of 130,000 in the number of calf births this year in both the beef and dairy sectors. That will have consequences for the market which, as the Minister is well aware, is a cyclical one. Much concern was evident in that regard in 2014. Given the figures, one would expect concerns to arise in the future also. That is the reason for the question on veal. I accept that the new beef data and genomics programme which the Minister launched this month has had a positive and stimulating effect on the beef sector. It was well flagged that such a package would be put in place. Does the Minister believe there is an export market for red or rose veal? Live exports are very important to the country. We do not want to develop a sector that will be in competition with prime beef from the suckler herd. Is there an opportunity to explore an export market for the red veal sector?

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