asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he has asked the national cattle consortium to explore the possibility of sailings into Birkenhead; and what the future proposals are for shipping of Irish livestock to Britain.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Livestock Shipments.
26.
I recently met representatives of the Irish Livestock Transport Company which operates the cattle ships and lairages of the B and I Co. and of British Rail and on which the national executive of the Irish livestock trade is represented. Arising out of the decision by the company to abandon the Heysham route due to lack of support by the trade, they agreed to my request to examine the possibilities of providing an alternative service.
As regards the future prospects for the company, they informed me that their ships and lairages should meet all demands up to 1980. The representatives of British Rail informed me that existing stocks of rail wagons should meet demands for some years to come and that they will be reviewing the situation in that regard in due course.
At the present time the Irish Livestock Transport Co. is providing a service on the Holyhead route; private shipping interests are serving the Birkenhead and Silloth routes, and the Burns and Laird line the Glasgow route. I am assured, therefore, that there is no cause for concern about adequacy of shipping facilities for cattle.
In view of the fact that it is stated that they will meet the demands for some years to come and in view of the importance of our cattle industry to the economy, would the Minister for Transport and Power and the Government ensure that adequate ships and adequate facilities are available to take our cattle to England and also to the Continent when we join the EEC?
I understand that this matter is constantly under examination by the Minister and his Department.
If it is constantly under examination, what progress is being made, in view of the fact that the Minister has stated that they will meet the demands for some years to come? That is not good enough. We must have adequate ships and adequate facilities to take our cattle to Britain and to the Continent for years to come.
If the Deputy studies the history of sea transport he will find that changes in the pattern of transport, in the size and character of vessels, took place, in some cases, within two or three years. For example, the containerisation of traffic developed to an enormous extent over a period of five years.
But you cannot put live cattle into containers.
I do not think it would be possible for any Minister for Transport to start negotiating or asking shipping companies to decide what they will do in 1980. That would be quite impossible in the circumstances.
The Minister must be aware that there is only one way of shipping live cattle and that is in boats and he must realise that cattle cannot be put into containers and that as far as ships and boats are concerned there has been no change in the past 20 years.
I did not suggest that.
Surely the Minister will ensure that there are adequate facilities for the next ten years?
This matter is under constant examination by the livestock interests as well as by the Minister for Transport and Power.
They were very nearly falling down recently.