Vol. 487 No. 8
1 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps, if any, that are being taken to promote the re-opening of the live cattle trade to third countries, particularly Egypt, Libya and Iran; the current position on his previously reported trial shipment of 2,000 cattle to Egypt; his views on whether the live trade will be re-opened and, if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5347/98]
As I have explained in the Dáil previously, it is a priority for me to ensure that BSE related restrictions on our live cattle trade are removed. Egypt and Libya have traditionally been important markets for Irish live cattle exports.
A technical delegation from my Department recently visited Egypt. One of the objectives of this visit was to discuss further the possibility of reopening the trade in live cattle on the basis of the proposal for a trial shipment which I submitted last November to the Egyptian Deputy Premier and Minister for Agriculture. The delegation provided up to date information and further assurances on the BSE situation in Ireland to the Egyptian authorities. The proposal is being considered by the Egyptian authorities in the light of the additional information provided.
In the case of Libya, contact is continuing through a number of channels with a view to having the live cattle trade restored. It should also be noted that a consistent level of live exports to the Lebanon has developed this year.
As regards Iran, the recent restoration of diplomatic relations with that country facilitated the resumption of discussions with the Iranian authorities to have the ban on imports of Irish beef lifted. A veterinary delegation from my Department travelled to Teheran three weeks ago for this purpose. Additional information was supplied to the Iranian veterinary authorities and they accepted an invitation to continue discussions in Ireland. I hope we can convince the Iranian authorities of the safety and quality of Irish beef so that trade can resume.
I hardly need mention that in Opposition the Minister and the Taoiseach made strong statements about the desirability of re-opening this trade. In January the Taoiseach said at the AGM of the IFA that it was one of his highest priorities. What support is the Minister getting from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs because it will take a combined effort from all of the relevant Departments as well as that of the Minister to re-open this trade?
I asked when the live trade will be re-opened and, while I know it is difficult for the Minister to name a date, I want some indication of when he thinks this trade might be re-opened. In my lower level inquiries I have heard various dates mentioned. What is his opinion about this?
My understanding is that this trial shipment proposal is a non-runner. If that is not the case, will he confirm it?
The re-opening of the live cattle trade is quite a difficult problem in Egypt. It is a priority for Government to the extent that I visited Cairo at an early stage in the life of the Government. In addition, technical delegations at the most senior veterinary and, more recently, engineering levels of the Department of Agriculture and Food have visited Egypt because the Egyptian authorities demanded certain assurances about Irish live cattle. Each time we provided answers to their queries and satisfied their technical questions. They then said they would be prepared to take a live shipment but that we would have to provide the facilities to remove specified risk material. We said we would be prepared to do that and supervise it in one of their factories. That is why an engineering element accompanied the recent delegations. We have chosen one of their factories and cordoned off an area so that live cattle can be slaughtered and the risk material removed. Nonetheless, the Egyptians have not yet made a decision to accept live cattle from Ireland.
To do a deal one needs a vendor and a purchaser. We have allayed the concerns of the Egyptian authorities and technical veterinary people about Irish cattle, but it is a matter for the Egyptian authorities to make the decision to purchase live animals.
The Egyptians make the point that they are taking a considerable quantity of Irish beef and they are entirely satisfied with it. We are very satisfied with that trade, which doubled from 1996 to 1997. We obviously want that trade to continue, but we want to supplement it with substantial numbers of live cattle.
A similar situation exists in Libya. That trade was terminated in 1996 and we have since been seeking to have it re-opened. Contacts are continuing there at a number of levels, but particularly through the Embassy in Rome because there is no Embassy in Tripoli. Any contact there must be made over land because no flights are allowed in. That is quite difficult but, nonetheless, we are following up on the matter.
As the Deputy will be aware, diplomatic relations with Iran were withdrawn some time ago but they have been restored recently with the EU. Immediately they were restored, we sent a technical delegation there. They were asked to allay a number of concerns and we have responded to those. We do not have any difficulty in meeting the technical requirements, but it is a matter for Iran to recommence that trade.
Deputy Coveney asked specifically about support from the Taoiseach. Support has been readily forthcoming from the Taoiseach. He has communicated at the highest level with the Egyptian authorities.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has been similarly supportive.
A senior Foreign Affairs official accompanied the officials from the Department of Agriculture and Food on the recent trip. The Embassy in Rome, which is under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs, has been exceptionally helpful in relation to the Libyan trade and everything possible is being done to reopen it.
There is a problem in Egypt in that consumers are not differentiating between British and Irish beef. They know British beef is BSE infected and we are being tarred with the same brush. What action is the Minister or An Bord Bia taking in regard to promotional marketing in Egypt to counter that impression because if Egyptian consumers continue to hold that view, no government will decide to bring in live Irish cattle? I suspect there is something that should, but which is not, being done.
In relation to the promotion of Irish beef, I was accompanied on my trip, as were the technical delegations, by personnel from An Bord Bia. On my visit to Cairo I made a point of meeting and entertaining the agricultural media so that we could speak directly to them, and they carried positive articles in the Egyptian press. During the term of my predecessor, the Egyptian media came to Ireland on the invitation of the Department and wrote glowing articles about production conditions here. We are doing everything possible to communicate the good image of Irish beef to Egyptian consumers.
