Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The data below show the cattle transported from the State and includes intra-community trade with EU countries and exports to 3rd countries.

Live Cattle transport from the State 2021, 2022 & 2023, by Country of Destination

Country		No of Animals			By Dedicated Livestock Vessel
	2023	2022	2021
ALGERIA	380
AUSTRIA		4
BELGIUM			2044
BULGARIA	2403	450	119
CROATIA	433	62
CZECH REPUBLIC		17
EGYPT		3623			3623
ENGLAND	2271	2566	2939
ESTONIA		7
FRANCE	935	79	2628
GERMANY		8	3
GREECE	2229	2653	2245
HUNGARY	4175	1463	1862
ISRAEL	6840				6840
ITALY	36465	29845	29754
JORDAN		3389			3389
KAZAKHSTAN			500
KOSOVO (SERBIA)	34	66	44
LATVIA	37
LEBANON	1070	791
LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA	2405	9190	6467		18062
LITHUANIA		101	120
LUXEMBOURG		4	49
MOROCCO	30	111
NETHERLANDS	107281	97779	49180
NORTHERN IRELAND	54393	48795	72784
POLAND	16987	3973	1544
PORTUGAL	280	113	190
ROMANIA	3532	76	100
RUSSIAN FEDERATION			244
SCOTLAND	666	664	641
SLOVAKIA	1584	1293	121
SLOVENIA	73
SPAIN	75043	73238	73537
TUNISIA	235
TURKEY	2229	5572			7801
WALES	700	419	441
OVERALL TOTAL	322710	286351	247556		39715
Ro-Ro Ferry Transport	311236	264577	241089
Dedicated Livestock Vessel Transport	11474	21774	6467

Annual statistics only currently available.

Unless otherwise indicated, transport is by road and Ro-Ro ferry

Summary:

Of the 856,617 cattle transported from Ireland over the three year period in question (2021, 2022 & 2023), 39,715 cattle were transported by Dedicated Livestock Vessel (Walk-On Walk-Off) while the remaining 816,902 cattle were transported by Truck and Ferry (Roll-On Roll-Off).

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The data requested in respect of vehicles and boats is set out below.

Number of Inspections on vehicles transporting live animals for export

-	2021	2022	2023
Type 2 Long Distance Vehicles	289	377	414	1080

The figures supplied include vehicle inspections for both intra-community movements and third country exports.

Dedicated Livestock Vessel Inspections

-	2021	2022	2023
Vessel Inspections at Loading	4	11	4	19
Vessel Approval Inspections	3	4	2	9
Total	7	15	6	28

Please note all dedicated vessel consignments require a vessel inspection at point of loading.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is conscious at all times of its obligations to ensure that animals are protected from injury and undue suffering during transportation. When Veterinary Inspectors of the Department provide health certification for calves travelling to mainland Europe, they apply the standards laid down in EU rules (primarily in Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005) but also the Department’s own policies introduced in 2019 and 2020 which go beyond the minimum standards in EU rules. These changes impact all livestock transports, but particularly the intracommunity trade in unweaned calves. These changes include:

1. Increased minimum space allowances for calves, e.g., 11% extra space for calves of 55Kg, over than allowed in EU rules.

2. Veterinary Inspectors are instructed not to accept journey logs when forecasted temperatures equal or exceed 30°C en route at time of transport. The Department monitors forecasts in Europe in summer and winter months, issuing guidance up to three times weekly.

3. Policy of not approving transport of very small calves below 40kg bodyweight on long journeys.

4. The re-training period for drivers to retain their certificate of competence has been reduced from 10 years to 3 years. Driver behaviour is a major influence on animal welfare during transport.

5. In 2019 a booking system for unweaned calves was introduced to avoid overcrowding in the control posts in Cherbourg, where calves are fed and rested after their ferry journey from Ireland.

6. Unannounced accompaniment of calf consignments to Cherbourg by official veterinarians occurs during the peak transport season (Spring) to monitor the welfare of Irish calves during transport.

It is important to clarify that my Department only permits animals to be transported in compliance with the EU's animal welfare legislation, which is amongst the most progressive legal frameworks in the world. Furthermore, Ireland has national rules to protect the welfare of livestock being exported to third countries on dedicated livestock vessels, which lay down controls that are more stringent than EU rules, and which have been cited as an example by the European Commission to other Member States. These national rules include a stipulation that an official veterinarian of my Department must accompany the first voyage of every dedicated livestock vessel that takes place after the vessel's inspection and approval, or re-approval.

The Department is conscious of the need to ensure the welfare of the animals in transit and, as the regulator in this area, is satisfied that the systems in place in respect of the intra-community movement and extra-community movement of these animals are supportive of the welfare of the animals and in compliance with the relevant legislation. The Department continues to monitor and enforce compliance, to ensure the welfare of animals transported.