asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether he has raised the blockading of British ports by Welsh farmers with the British Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Private Notice Questions. - Welsh Farmers' Blockade.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure the free passage of Irish beef products to the United Kingdom in view of the actions of Welsh farmers who have blocked the entry of Irish trucks at ports on two occasions within the past 48 hours and destroyed one consignment of meat products; the representations, if any, he has made to the British authorities on this issue; the response, if any, he has received from the British in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Mr. Coveney
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the measures, if any, he is taking to guarantee free access to the United Kingdom for all Irish food products; the assurances, if any, he has obtained from the United Kingdom Government regarding the measures it will take to prevent further disruption of Irish meat exports at Welsh ports; the steps, if any, he taking to ensure full compensation is paid to Irish exporters for losses arising from these deplorable and illegal actions by some Welsh farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter.
I welcome the opportunity to clarify developments in relation to the recent action of Welsh farmers against imports of beef from this country. The background to the matter is that a group or groups of Welsh farmers have, over the past two days, chosen to express their dissatisfaction with the policies of the United Kingdom Government by blockading Irish beef arriving by ferry from Ireland and destroying one consignment. Their dissatisfaction relates, I understand, to the level of prices being paid to Welsh producers and to the UK handling of the effects of revaluation on prices.
The action is not only illegal but totally unacceptable. Free trade in agricultural products is a central plank of the Common Agricultural Policy and the EU single market. No amount of dissatisfaction on the part of any group with the policies of a particular administration can justify impeding free trade. In any case, I cannot see how such action is in any way helpful to the case being made by UK beef producers and the UK beef industry generally.
Immediately following the first incident at Holyhead on Sunday night and Monday morning contact was made with the UK authorities through our Embassy in London and through the UK Embassy here. My concerns about the action taken were made very clear to the UK agriculture ministry, the Welsh Office and the police authorities responsible for the port area. I also spoke this morning to the Secretary of State for Wales, Mr. Ron Davies, and made it clear that the UK was an extremely important market for us and that everything possible should be done to allow our product be exported and traded there without restriction or impediment.
We are entitled to unrestricted access for our product which complies with the various regulatory requirements and standards. The UK authorities have fully accepted the validity of our complaint.
The free movement of goods to a member state of the EU is the responsibility of the authorities in that state. I have made very clear to the UK authorities my concern that this principle be upheld by the appropriate authorities and by whatever action is required at local level in the current circumstances, notwithstanding the views of the local producers. I welcome the statements made by the UK authorities, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Jack Cunningham, and the Secretary of State for Wales, Mr. Ron Davies, condemning the action of the Welsh farmers. The UK farmers' union has also condemned this action.
I will continue to follow up this matter carefully to ensure the sentiments expressed are translated into direct action on the ground to allow Irish consignments enter UK ports and continue on their journey. Compensation for loss is primarily a matter to be taken up directly with the UK authorities by the companies involved. I am due to meet Mr. Jack Cunningham, my counterpart in the UK. I will also speak to him later this afternoon. I hope the various representations made to the UK authorities will succeed in resolving this matter at the earliest opportunity.
The House is pleased to hear the Minister has met the Secretary of State for Wales and made representations to the UK Minister for Agriculture, Jack Cunningham. Does he agree the most serious view must be taken of what was an outrageous and unjustified attack on our produce? To be too conciliatory at this stage may be the wrong approach.
Will the Minister take further measures to ensure our producers are adequately compensated for this outrage? Has he asked the UK Secretary of State for Wales and the Minister for Agriculture to ensure there will be no recurrence?
Given their close collaboration on European issues, have the farming organisations made representations to their counterparts in the UK? Does the Minister have information on the implications for jobs in Ireland following this awful behaviour?
I have made the strongest possible representations to the authorities in the UK. There was no question of any conciliatory references by me. I condemned the matter outright. It is illegal. As a member state of the EU we are entitled to free trade in goods and services to the UK, which is a traditional and important market.
There is no question of dumping any product, nor of price undercutting. I received assurances from the UK authorities that it was a matter for the police authorities, with whom our Embassy is in contact, and that every step is being taken to ensure that we are allowed free and unimpeded access to the markets in the UK.
Will there be prosecutions?
I am not sure. That is a matter for the UK authorities. I am assured the UK Government will take resolute action against illegal activity by protesters. That was made clear by the Secretary of State for Wales, who was interviewed on "The News at One" today.
Farming organisations have contacted me and my office. They are making appropriate representations on the matter. Everything that can be done is being done.
Did the Minister raise with the Secretary of State for Wales the security arrangements and how they were breached to allow this action be taken at the ports in Wales? Did the Secretary of State advise him on the practical measures he intends to take to ensure these ports are kept open for the future and that there is not a recurrence of these incidents? Is he concerned about the increasing use of the tactic of blockading and disrupting ports during disputes, not only in France but also in the UK? Has he any plans with his Government colleagues to raise this issue at EU level?
The Secretary of State for Wales assured me he made direct contact with the police authorities responsible for the ports in the area and was pursuing the matter of the illegality of the first protest. I understand that the protest last night was peaceful in that the ferries were disrupted and made turn around. There was no illegal activity, whereas on the previous night the consignment was destroyed. This afternoon the Secretary of State is meeting the police authorities responsible for the ports and the Welsh farmers' union in order to put a stop to such action and ensure normality is restored. The Secretary of State reminded the farmers' union that it was one of the first bodies to protest when similar events recently occurred in France.
Mr. Coveney
Holyhead is a private port and not public property. In this context, how was a cavalcade of 400 cars given access to the port to act in an outrageously illegal manner? Why did the UK police, who were presumably outnumbered, not know in advance about what was going to happen? Four hundred car loads of farmers from various parts of Wales drove into a private port, drove out our imports and dumped goods to the value of £100,000 into the sea.
What happened on Sunday night was worse than what happened last night, but last night's events, hovering between legal and illegal action, included strong intimidatory actions which caused our drivers to come back with their supplies. Such intimidatory action, either physical or psychological, does not constitute a peaceful protest and must be illegal if it prevents our products entering the UK. Just because they did not throw the goods into the sea on Monday night does not mean the action was less intimidatory.
I note the point the Minister made about compensation, but it is important that those seeking compensation have his active support. Is he prepared to give that?
Tesco was the destination of the £100,000 shipment which raises a very important issue for Irish suppliers, namely, that of a major multinational purchaser of Irish food products losing confidence in its source of supply as a result of such activities. I ask the Minister to consider what steps he should take to give confidence to Tesco. I understand the consignment was replaced and brought in through another port. I would like confirmation of this. It is important for Irish suppliers that major international purchasers such as Tesco can be sure of the supplies they purchase in Ireland reaching them on time.
I commend the Minister on doing his best, but as the action was repeated on Monday night despite his very strong protest on Monday, and that one Welsh farmer stated that those involved were only warming up, what further action does the Minister propose to take?
The Deputy's maritime experience is evident when he speaks about Holyhead. I understand the protesters were a maverick group of Welsh farmers that did not have the authority of the Welsh farmers' union which condemned the action. The farmers gained access to Holyhead port in a dawn raid. The police were unable to prevent what happened. I have the strongest possible assurances from the authorities, including the Secretary of State's Office, that this will not happen again. Our Embassy in London is in hourly contact with the police authorities responsible for the ports.
I will actively support the companies involved who have made a claim for compensation. Tesco and the other stores in the UK form a very important market for Ireland. We export up to 100,000 tonnes or £200 million worth of produce to them per annum. At this time of year, in the run up to Christmas, that market is extremely valuable. We will do whatever we can to reassure stores in Britain of the continuity of supply. My information is that replacement goods have been supplied, through a different port, to the supermarkets concerned.
As soon as I leave the Chamber I will be contacting Jack Cunningham, my counterpart in the UK, to ensure this action stops. This is a traditional market and we are not dumping or underselling products. We have a legitimate trade with the UK and we can point to the fact that we are major importers of food, spending some several hundred million pounds per annum in this area under EU regulations. We want to continue to do that.
The Minister said he would support producers' claims for compensation. Would it be possible for him to proactively initiate such claims or perhaps, as happened in an earlier dispute in France, to ask his colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to actively initiate compensation claims?
Yes, I can give that undertaking.
The European Treaties guarantee the free movement of goods but we are repeatedly witnessing examples of cases where such free movement is being disrupted by disputes of this nature. What consideration has the Minister or the Government given to pursuing some initiative at EU level to ensure that this type of disruption at ports in other EU states will not continue to the detriment of Irish trade?
I will ensure this matter is raised at EU level. The Council of Agriculture Ministers is due to meet in the near future and I understand this issue was raised at the most recent meeting of the Council of Trade Ministers. From time to time, due to frustrations of one kind or another, producers take this kind of action. I recall some time ago Irish farmers dumped potatoes into the sea at Dundalk, although it was an isolated incident. That kind of action is not a proper way to express frustration; it is illegal, out of order and contrary to EU rules. I will raise the matter at the meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers.
Is the Minister aware of the knock-on effects this blockade has had even at this stage? Irish factories have today reduced the price of beef by 2p per pound and cattle prices have decreased by between £5 and £10 at Irish marts. Given that set of circumstances, will the Minister do everything in his power to ensure this does not continue? If this action continues for another few days we will find ourselves in a very serious position. Will the Minister go to the Competitions Commissioner in Brussels if the British Government are unable to deal with this matter?
I acknowledge Deputy Connaughton's comments about the effect the blockade has had on cattle prices in the marts and on the ground. At the end of the day, it is the responsibility of every State to ensure the law is upheld and it is the responsibility of the UK authorities to ensure the police allow free access of Irish goods to the UK market. I have made every effort possible, on an hourly basis, to ensure this matter is resolved as quickly as possible and that the condemnation of this disruption by UK Ministers is translated into action on the ground. I want them to direct the police authorities to ensure the safe passage of goods from Ireland to their UK destinations.
The Minister referred to supplies being transported by alternative routes. That will cause great disquiet in the southern corridor. What will the Government do to ensure that no port becomes a no-go area? The Minister's suggestion of alternative routes will cause great concern about essential business on the central corridor and, more importantly, the southern corridor. We should not allow any port to be closed to Irish traffic.
All politics are local.
We are entitled to supply goods through the port of our choice in the UK or any member state. I informed the House that one load of goods had got through another port but we should not be discommoded in this way. Many Tesco, Sainsburys and other stores which Irish producers supply are located throughout the UK and our hauliers cannot make loops around the coast to get access to the UK or any other corridor. I have made that clear and I hope my representations will be effective and lead to an early resolution of this matter.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.