Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We all know well that beef is a vital part of the export sector of this country. Of the 1.7 million cattle presented for slaughter to factories, we only consume 10% and 90% is for export. The problem is that beef farmers are getting very poor prices at factories for their cattle, and the price is actually below the cost of production. This puts the beef industry and suckler farmers in a state of crisis, which has been ongoing for a number of months. Any reprieve that we normally see in the run-up to Christmas has not materialised so prices remain very depressed and on the floor.

A clearly identified solution is an increase in live exports. I commend the Minister and Bord Bia on the work they do in this regard. Between 2017 and 2018, live exports increased by 30% to 246,000 animals.Quite frankly, we need more. With the abolition of the milk quota system we have seen many more people getting into dairy and, consequently, we have many more dairy calves. There are approximately 40,000 additional calves to be dealt with. We need new markets and we need live exports. At the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine yesterday it was set out very starkly that there is a major obstacle in this regard. It is not about ships or export markets. There are customers for these animals but there is a major problem in respect of lairage, places to hold animals, in Cherbourg, which is where these animals are shipped to. According to regulations animals, and young animals and calves in particular, have to be rested after a significant journey. The capacity is not there. At the same time, we are trying to move animals out and give farmers a fairer price. It has to be noted that there have been significant increases in the Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Belgian and French markets. All of these are European markets which are highly regulated. We cannot meet the demand despite having the cattle. If the farmers cannot ship the cattle they have to continue to feed them and welfare issues arise.

I call for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Minister, the farming organisations, and the exporters to get together and make some arrangements for the provision of additional lairage in or around Cherbourg so that the animals we are shipping over can be cared for properly and so that capacity can be increased. There is no point in us having ambition to grow exports, which is our ambition, if there is not capacity within the system. I ask that this be brought to the Minister's attention as a matter of urgency. I appeal to the different stakeholders to find a solution. It is beyond critical. I will be meeting the IFA shortly to discuss the whole crisis in the beef sector and I will take this issue up with the association directly.