Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I concur with the Minister on the importance of live exports and it is incumbent on us to do everything we can to ensure services are in place to facilitate them. I welcome the fact that live exports are up this year and I welcome the reduction by the Minister of veterinary fees on calves. Given the success of that, I suggest the Minister look at removing the veterinary fee altogether as it is a barrier and an additional cost to live exports. It is important that live exports are there as an alternative and to ensure there is competition in the market and such a move would encourage it. It is in the Minister's power to do this.

As regards movements through marts, to qualify for the quality assurance bonus under the QPS system in factories, animals have had to spend a minimum of 70 days on the most recent farm and are restricted to a maximum of four movements. That has impacted on mart trade so could the Minister look at the issue? It is not a necessary requirement but it does make it more difficult for cattle going through marts, as well as ruling them out of the QPS bonus.

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