Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she is taking to work with Lebanese authorities to improve animal welfare standards for Irish cattle after they have been off-loaded from ships arriving in the Lebanon, particularly during onward transportation and at slaughter. [15777/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has a comprehensive legislative framework in place to safeguard the welfare of animals during transport. For export refund purposes, under EU legislation cattle are subject to a veterinary inspection on arrival at third country destinations. On a number of occasions my Department has sent Department veterinary inspectors to the Lebanon to witness the unloading of Irish cattle and to verify that the animals are unloaded and treated in a humane manner. When animals have landed in a third country, transportation becomes a matter for the authorities there to deal with in accordance with the laws of that country.

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she is taking to encourage the Lebanon to import Irish beef only in the form of meat, not live animals; her views on whether slaughter near to the farm of rearing is preferable both in terms of animal welfare protection and meat exports adding value to the product and creating employment here. [15778/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Less than 8% of all Irish beef exports in 2004 were in the form of live cattle. Exports to the Lebanon that year constituted less than 10% of all live exports and the Lebanese trade was only 20% of what it was five years ago. Live exports, while small in volume terms, are a vital component of Ireland's livestock industry, and are essential for price competition and maintaining farm incomes.

In recent years, the focus of the Irish beef industry has been to add value and to broaden and expand its market reach at EU retail level, shifting its orientation away from international commodity markets and into the higher priced internal EU marketplace. I am aware of the social, moral and economic imperative to ensure that the transport of animals over long distances is conducted in a manner which safeguards the welfare of animals being transported and minimises the risk of transmitting infectious diseases. The vast majority of live exports take place to other EU member states.

The preservation of the animal health status of the country, the international reputation of veterinary certification services and the existence and application of a regulatory framework ensures that high standards and welfare considerations are central to the live export trade.