Written answers

Tuesday, 5 April 2022

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Animal Welfare

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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944. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it will be ensured that the European Union rules on the protection of animals during transport are adhered to on all live exports from Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18245/22]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine only permits animals to be transported in compliance with the EU's animal welfare legislation.

Ireland has also introduced its own national legislation regulating animal welfare in dedicated livestock vessels, which lays down more stringent controls that go far beyond those in EU law. Furthermore, over the past three years, my Department has introduced extra controls on animal welfare during export by road, such as additional checks to prevent transport of animals during hot weather, an increase in the minimum space allowance for calves in trucks that is more than that specified in EU rules, and a requirement for drivers and attendants to undergo training every three years, rather than ten years as formerly.

Department officials and inspectors monitor compliance through a system of official controls, including advance checks of weather along the proposed journey, and veterinary inspection of lorries, livestock vessels and of all animals before they travel. Journeys must be notified to the Regional Veterinary Office two days in advance, and veterinary certification will only be provided where the journey complies with all animal transport and animal welfare regulations. This includes a requirement to notify the Regional Veterinary Office of the outcome of the journey once completed, with satellite navigation data from lorries, and the condition of the animals on arrival.

Since the scaling back of COVID-19 restrictions, Department veterinary staff have been accompanying calves on board ferries from Ireland to Cherbourg on a proportion of journeys during the peak spring season for calf export.

The Government supports the live export of animals as it plays an important part in competition in the market-place particularly for cattle. In that context, however, the Government demands the highest standards of animal welfare during transport.

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