Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the likely implications for the beef industry here of the pending removal of the over 30 months rule in the UK; if attempts will be made to secure alternative markets for the beef exports affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1926/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is currently the dominant import supplier of prime beef to the British market, supplying 258,000 tonnes to that market last year. The UK authorities have signalled that they will commence a transition period towards ending the over 30 months scheme, OTMS, for British beef during the latter half of 2005. This transition period will be used to validate their BSE testing regime and to establish the level of disease in that cohort of animals. During this period of time meat from these animals will not be released onto the market.

While the ending of the OTMS would lead to additional UK domestic beef on the market, the decision to end the scheme is welcome in that it signals a restoration of normal business since BSE emerged as a major problem in the sector.

When eventually the OTMS comes to an end it may have the effect of displacing some proportion of Irish beef from the UK market. This year, arising from an excess of consumption over production, there is an estimated import requirement of 300,000 tonnes within the EU. This represents a major opportunity for Irish beef producers and processors and enables them to build on an already impressive penetration of continental EU markets, which is the key to the longer-term success of our industry. In addition, we will continue to pursue all avenues towards the full restoration of trade access to international markets of which the Russian Federation is our principal market outlet.