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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Oct 1956

Vol. 160 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Slaughter of Horses.

asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he has received any applications for licences to slaughter horses for the purposes of exporting the flesh thereof for human consumption, and, if so, if he will state the number of such applications received, and the nature of the reply issued in each case.

asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of recent information supplied to him, he has re-examined the question of the slaughter of horses for the purpose of exporting the flesh thereof for human consumption, and, if so, whether he has yet come to a final decision in the matter.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together.

Since the beginning of 1956, four applications for facilities to export horse flesh for human consumption have been received by my Department. In three cases, the applicants were informed that it has been the policy not to permit the export of horse flesh for human consumption as it is considered that the development of such a trade would be contrary to the country's interests in regard to the export of high-grade carcase meat. A reply on similar lines is being sent to the fourth application.

There is nothing I can usefully add, at this stage, to my previous statements in the House on this subject.

Can the Minister say how he reconciles this information with the fact that apparently there is no restriction on the export of horses across the Border or to the Continent for that purpose? The fact is that Irish horses are at present being freely supplied to these places for slaughter for human consumption and what I would like to know is how, if that does not affect our beef trade, would it affect the beef trade if that business were done here rather than in these abattoirs?

The view has been taken by all those qualified to advise in this matter so far that the export of horse flesh in carcase form is liable to do serious injury to our valuable export market in high grade carcase meat. The difference between the export in carcase form and on the hoof must be, I think, obvious to the Deputy.

My point is this: horse flesh is being exported from this country at present for human consumption.

From Northern Ireland.

I visited this place and I have seen the whole thing. The animals are apparently freely admitted and there seem to be no restrictions whatever. I am informed that this meat is being sold on the Continent as Irish horse flesh. All I want to know is: if that is not injuring our beef trade at present, the trade which has been carried on for a number of years, how would it injure our beef trade if we developed this industry here ourselves?

Is it still Irish horse flesh?

It is purely a question of what is in the best interests of the economy as a whole. Is it desirable and expedient to export carcase horse from this country and give the exporter a right to describe it in our continental markets as prime Irish meat, which he would be entitled to do?

Make him say horse meat.

It is very easy to say make him say this or that, but when the stuff gets to the Continent, it is not always possible to enforce the making.

He can say what he likes about it now.

You cannot export it from this country at all.

He can export the horses and describe the flesh whatever way he likes.

He cannot export carcase meat. My duty is to protect a very valuable trade of this country which I have good reason to hope is going to expand and provide useful employment here and provide an export commodity of which we can all be proud. That is my sole concern in this matter. As at present advised, I am persuaded that the export of carcase horse from this country is calculated to injure that trade and I am bound to recall that that view was shared by all my predecessors in the Ministry of Agriculture since the State was founded.

We all agree with that.

I should like to point out that there are 86 questions on the Order Paper.

Up to recently, I believed that that argument was sound. Now my difficulty is this: I find that in fact we are supplying horses across the Border where they are being slaughtered and the carcases sent across to England where there is a veterinary inspector who certifies them as being fit for human consumption. That is point No. 1. Again, we send horses on the hoof to the Continent, knowing that they are to be slaughtered for human food. I am informed by authorities over there that in fact the meat is valued because it is Irish horse flesh. Now the fact that the horses——

The Deputy should come to the question, please.

Is this a speech or a supplementary question?

It seems to me to be a speech. I have given the Deputy considerable latitude. There are 86 questions on the Order Paper.

I only want to know if the Minister examined this matter in the light of all these points and whether he is still satisfied with the case he makes?

I keep this matter under constant and careful review. My sole concern is to protect the growing and valuable carcase meat exporting industry in this country. As at present advised, I believe that the export of carcase horse from this country, the Republic, for which we are responsible, would adversely affect the permanent and developing trade in prime beef. If it should ever be shown to me that that is not so, I would have no interest in preventing anybody doing anything, but so long as the conviction is in my mind that that is so, then I conceive myself to have a duty to do what is necessary for the protection of the predominant and permanently valuable trade on which the farmers of this country are largely dependent.

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