Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on live cattle exports and cattle slaughterings in meat plants here to date in 2006 compared with the same period in 2005. [24470/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Live exports continue to be an important outlet for our cattle, providing an essential element of competition with the beef trade. Following a near 40% increase in such exports in 2005, the strong upward trend has continued in 2006. The live trade to the EU remains strong with 138,000 head exported to date in 2006 against 89,000 for the same period last year, an increase of about 55%. Within that, the calf trade is exceptionally good at 87,000 head, which is up 80% on last year probably mostly reflecting the difficulties in the poultry sector in the earlier part of the year. As forecast, live exports to third countries have declined significantly this year, this trade being now almost non-existent due largely to the removal of export refunds last December on live cattle exports other than for breeding. Consequently the live trade will, in the future, be centralised in the closer EU market, which due to its declining livestock production has a demand for such cattle.

Total cattle slaughterings for 2006 to date amounts to over 750,000 head. This represents an increase of over 91,000 on the same period in 2005, a rise of 14%. This figure signifies a return to the levels last seen in 2003. The kill for the year as a whole is, however, expected to level out at approximately 5% up on last year.