Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Ireland imports between 10,000 and 20,000 litres of goats milk per week; and if she will examine whether there is a way in which to ensure that a licence is granted to any carrier willing to carry goat livestock to Ireland from Britain to help revitalise the breeding stock here. [14226/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The movement of livestock between member states of the European Union is governed, inter alia, by Council Directive 91/628/EEC. This directive obliges member states to ensure that livestock are transported in a manner that does not compromise their health or welfare.

The question of whether a ferry company is approved to transport animals from another member state into this country is a matter for the competent authority in the member state of origin. There is no legal obligation on ferry operators to carry livestock. Ferry companies operate on a commercial basis and it is a matter for operators to decide whether to carry livestock and which categories they will carry. Statistics on imports of goats milk are not maintained centrally by my Department.