Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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988. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will take to address a situation whereby information is not made available to marts as to whether a bovine is eligible for export (details supplied) in particular regarding whether an animal has been presented at a previous mart in the preceding 30 days; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34862/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Under EU legislation, cattle exported from Ireland within the EU (including to Northern Ireland) must complete a residency period on a holding prior to export. 

The pre-export check carried out by my Department was modified on 3rd April to ensure that cattle presented for export comply with the legislation. A note informing industry of the changes to export checks was issued on 27th March. The Department provides livestock marts with real-time data from the AIM system indicating whether or not the animal is eligible for EU export markets, and this takes into account the 30-day residency period requirement. It is the responsibility of the marts to display accurately the information provided to it by AIM.

I called a meeting with live exporters earlier this year at which I stressed that my Department considers the live export sector to be of great importance, particularly given Brexit and the expansion of the dairy herd. At that meeting the 30-day residency period came up for discussion.  A small number of minor technical and other anomalies were highlighted by exporters when the pre-export check was modified and have since been addressed; the new arrangements are operating with minimal disruption.  The ongoing search for new third country markets is a priority for my Department and I welcome the fact that exports of live cattle to date in 2017 have increased by more than 40% compared to the same period last year.