Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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Many farmers are seriously concerned that meat, which is being exported from Ireland and stamped with the Irish logo and brand, is not actually Irish meat at all. I will give some of the statistics on it. Each year, approximately 56,000 tonnes of sheepmeat is exported from this country. Since 2018, €1.8 billion worth of sheepmeat has been exported. All of that is categorised as being of Irish origin. Since 2018, nearly 9,000 head of live sheep have been exported to countries such as France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Romania, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Austria. Ireland also imports an average of 450,000 live sheep each year. If the average weight of a sheep is 21 kg, an average of 9,300 tonnes is being imported. There is serious concern in the sheep sector over these imports. These imports are generally coming from the same countries that we are exporting to. Therefore, we are exporting sheep to these countries and we are importing sheep from these countries. The argument has been made that it would be impossible for Ireland to consume 9,300 tonnes of sheepmeat at the moment. It is obvious to everyone that they are not being imported for breeding purposes and that these 450,000 sheep are actually being imported potentially to be slaughtered and to be sold as Irish sheepmeat.

Is the meat being binned, is it being exported or is it being consumed here in its entirety? It is important for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine to show up for agricultural questions. The response to the parliamentary question that I received from him stated that the 56 tonnes of sheepmeat being exported is of all Irish origin. Can the Minister of State confirm with hand on heart and say with absolute confidence that we have an airtight situation in this country and, in terms of the export of meat and its origin, that we have a system where farmers are not actually competing with other countries selling their meat as Irish meat? Can he also confirm that people internationally and even here in Ireland are not being sold a pup and that there is not false advertisement and false marketing in this regard? If there is, that is a very serious issue. If there is, that means the livelihoods of farmers are being significantly affected and the prices are potentially being pushed down by this.

Can the Minister of State honestly say that all sheepmeat displayed currently with a 100% Irish sticker in supermarkets in this country represents sheep that have been born, grazed, reared and slaughtered here?

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's Topical Issue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine the amount, in tonnes, of sheepmeat being imported into and exported from the State each year. That is the question I will answer.

The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, thanks the Deputy for raising this important issue, that being the amount, in tonnes, of sheepmeat being imported and exported. We all recognise the challenging market conditions our sheep farmers have faced this year compared with recent years and the Minister has spoken previously about the significant contribution sheep farming makes to rural Ireland.

Beef and sheep farming account for most farm enterprises and they are at the heart of social and economic sustainability in rural areas where other economic activity can often be limited. They are also the systems most reliant on direct payments and where economic viability is very often challenging.

Food Vision 2030 is our shared strategy for the sustainable development of the agrifood sector until the end of the decade. Farmers are central to that strategy. The economic viability of our sheep farmers is crucial, not just in terms of their ability to earn a decent livelihood and return on their endeavours, but also in helping to deliver on environmental and social sustainability. The food vision strategy commits us to promote Irish grass-fed beef and lamb as premium products nationally and internationally. The Minister will continue to support Bord Bia’s marketing and promotional activities in both domestic and international markets.

The Minister has also established the Food Vision 2030 beef and sheep group, which plays a critical role in plotting a future for the sector. Chaired by Professor Thia Hennessy, the group has met twice this year to hear the contributions of stakeholders and agree the way forward in implementing the food vision actions collaboratively in light of the overall climate action targets for the sector.

Ireland exported sheepmeat to more than 30 markets last year, which is a mark of the world-class product produced on our farms. Sheep production is a vital source of income for many farmers and provides the raw material for the export of more than 66,000 tonnes of raw sheepmeat meat worth €453 million last year. Imports during the same period amounted to 9,000 tonnes and were worth €59 million. Approximately 15% of the lamb produced in Ireland is consumed domestically, with the balance being exported. Bord Bia is intensifying its marketing and promotion of Irish lamb this year through its activities in domestic and export markets. For example, an additional lamb campaign in the domestic market focused in particular on attracting younger consumers to eating lamb. Television advertising campaigns from September to October will coincide with peak supply months. However, we must continue to look at the global picture, with sheep export markets remaining critical.

Over the past decade, the Department has agreed bilateral sheep meat export certificates for many international markets, most recently with Japan in 2019 and the USA in 2022.

The Irish sheep sector is critically dependent on international trade and, therefore, on a multilateral trading system operating under EU and international trading rules. Any meat imported from third countries, including Great Britain, is subject to certification requirements and the import control system operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine at border control posts. The traceability standards of Irish sheepmeat are strictly enforced through our regulatory system.

If we want to maintain sheep farming as a system, we need continued targeting of farm income supports while increasing the return from the marketplace. The Minister recognises that margins in sheep farming have been under pressure as a result of increased input costs as well as lower prices, which are below the record levels achieved in recent years.

It should also be acknowledged that the Department provides significant support to the sector in the form of a dedicated sheep improvement scheme under the new CAP strategic plan, CSP, and through a broad range of other CSP schemes in which sheep farmers can participate. These include the agri-climate rural environment and organic farming schemes, which are particularly suited to sheep enterprises or mixed beef and sheep enterprises and which are likely to provide higher direct payments to sheep farmers this year. The Minister also encourages sheep farmers to consider forming producer organisations, the set-up costs for which are also supported by the Department under the CSP.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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There is little points for Deputies to wait here until 10.15 p.m. to listen to scripted response from a Minister of State on a question. The purpose of these oral discussions is that points will be raised during the discussion to which the relevant Minister can then respond. In this case, I might as well have just stuck in a written question to the Minister because all I am getting back is a written response. It is important that Ministers who have the authority, who have background and who are from the Departments should appear here to answer questions, otherwise there is no point in actually being here at all. This is a very serious issue that is affecting many farmers. It is not the fault of the Minister of State in front of me that this is the case. I do not put the blame on him for this, but it is a system problem.

I note that in his response the Minister of State refused to confirm that all sheepmeat that is stickered as being Irish meat is actually Irish, which is significant. Some of these live imports are obviously coming from the North of Ireland, which is fine.

We know 26,000 sheep last year came from elsewhere and were imported into Ireland. It is likely sheep are being imported into the North from elsewhere and being sold in the South and, therefore, also being stickered as Irish sheep meat.

I tabled this Topical Issue because the parliamentary questions I have tabled to the Minister on this have not been answered. I have asked over and over about the accuracy of information recorded on exports of live animals or animal products on TRACES. I wanted to know the number of TRACES declarations for exports from Ireland to other EU and intra-EU countries for live exports and animal products, the number of individual verification checks completed, the number of con-conformances found and the nature of these non-conformances. These are important questions that are not being responded to by oral question or by Topical Issues at 10.15 p.m.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I remind the Deputy the question put down on the paper by himself is simply the amount in tonnes of sheep meat being imported and exported from the State each year. Had he mentioned traceability in his question, he probably would have got a more specific answer.

We are answering the question he asked. The Minister in his reply is quite assured that any meat import from third countries, including Great Britain, is subject to certification requirements and the import control system operated by his Department at border control posts. Traceability standards of Irish meat are strictly enforced through our regulatory system. The Minister is committed to ensuring our sheep sector is protected for current and future generations. The Irish sheep sector is critically dependent on international trade and Ireland cannot unilaterally depart from the rules governing international trade. If it did, the impact of reciprocal action from our trading partners could be severe for our export-dependent agricultural sector. Irish sheep meat has been successful in accessing developing new market opportunities locally and internationally. An Bord Bia will continue to promote sheep meat markets and target segments based on trade customer and consumer and market insights.