Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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540. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of roll-on, roll-off ships and walk-on, walk-off ships currently approved to export cattle from Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14425/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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There are currently three vessels approved for walk on walk off carriage of livestock by sea from Irish ports. They are the MV Express 1, the MV Atlantic M and the MV Holstein Express. A further three vessels are going through various stages of the application process for approval to carry livestock.

There are three vessels approved for the roll on roll off carriage of livestock from Ireland. Two of three vessels approved operate from Rosslare (servicing Fishguard and Cherbourg) and one operates from Dublin servicing Cherbourg.

Live exports continue to be a vital component of Ireland’s livestock industry and provide alternative market outlets for certain categories of livestock, thereby serving a market demand and providing increased competition in the marketplace for cattle.