Written answers
Thursday, 16 June 2016
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Live Exports
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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240. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the European Union and non-European Union states to which Ireland has access to export live cattle in tabular form; the new markets he will open in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16567/16]
Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Irish cattle have access to all EU Member States. The non-European Union countries to which live Irish cattle exports have market access currently are set out in the following table.
| Member State | Third Country | Type/Health Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| IRELAND | LEBANON | Breeding cattle <36mts Fattening/slaughter cattle<36mts |
| LIBYA | Fattening & Slaughter cattle/males<24mts | |
| MOROCCO | Beef cattle | |
| RUSSIA | Breeding Cattle | |
| TUNISIA | Fattening Cattle Breeding Heifers |
New Markets open in 2016
| Member State | Third Country | Type/Health Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| IRELAND | ALGERIA | Breeding Cattle Male Bovines for further feeding/immediate slaughter |
| EGYPT | Slaughtering cattle | |
| SERBIA | Breeding and Production Cattle | |
| TURKEY | Cattle for fattening Cattle for slaughter Breeding Cattle (Male & Female) |
The main destinations for live bovines in 2015 and to date are UK, NL, Italy, Spain and France.
My Department, in co-operation with Bord Bia and the Irish embassies have successfully opened markets in Algeria, Egypt, Serbia and Turkey this year and will continue to actively support the development of the live cattle trade. The opening of the Turkish market represents a significant achievement and comes at a very opportune time in advance of the expected larger number of stock coming to the market in late summer.
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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241. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why previous large-scale live cattle exports to Belgium have declined; his plans to rectify this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16568/16]
Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Live exports from Ireland to Belgium have reduced considerably largely as a consequence of the introduction by Belgium of a compulsory national Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) eradication programme. Under EU legislation, Member States who have compulsory disease eradication programmes in place or who have freedom from particular diseases, such as IBR, are entitled to additional guarantees when bovine animals are being traded into these states or regions. The Belgian programme was approved by the Commission in 2014.
Teagasc is currently undertaking a cost benefit analysis of the implementation of a national IBR eradication programme in Ireland and the results are expected to be available later in the year. A decision on whether or not to proceed with a national IBR eradication programme will be taken in light of the outcome of the Teagasc study in consultation with stakeholders.
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