Vol. 395 No. 2
70 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether Irish beef, along with British beef, is being excluded from purchase by the American Defence Forces contracts in Europe this year; if his attention has been drawn to the importance of this contract in previous years to the Irish beef industry; the steps he proposes to take on the matter as the current President of the European Council of Agriculture Ministers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The US authorities have recently ceased to purchase any Community beef for US military installations in Europe. This is part of the continuing disagreement between the US and the EC on matters relating to international meat trade. The Commission has already taken up with the US authorities the question of beef purchases for the US Defence Forces. I, as President of the Council, am in close touch with the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development with a view to finding a solution. The US authorities have not so far responded to the Community's approaches.
As regards the actual supply of beef to the US forces the position is that a central purchasing agency awards contracts on foot of tenders received from EC meat companies. In recent years, Irish firms were not awarded contracts until the last quarter of 1989 when some 900 tonnes were purchased and exported. While welcome, this quantity is relatively small in the context of total Irish beef exports of approximately 420,000 tonnes annually.
