Vol. 501 No. 1
53 Mr. D'Arcy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a boat moored at Waterford port has not been cleared by his Department to export live cattle to the Continent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3910/99]
I assume the Deputy is referring to the mv Philomena Purcell, which had been moored at Waterford for inspection purposes. This vessel was inspected at Waterford on 17 February 1999 and has been approved, subject to certain conditions to carry live cattle to the Continent and the Middle East. Excluding roll-on, roll-off facilities, this brings to 15 the number of vessels approved by my Department to carry cattle from Ireland. All of these vessels can carry cattle to Continental Europe, while 11 of them are also approved to carry cattle to the Middle East.
As far as the live trade with continental Europe is concerned the number of cattle exported in 1998, at 141,940, was the highest in recent years and over six times the number exported to Europe in 1997. Many of these cattle travelled on vessels approved by my Department in the course of 1998.
I would take this opportunity to indicate that the current requirements governing the approval of ships for the carriage of cattle from Ireland were put in place in 1996 against the background of major losses on three vessels carrying cattle from this country. These requirements are designed to ensure that only suitable vessels of an acceptable standard are used to carry cattle from Ireland.
The live trade is of vital importance to Irish agriculture and the Irish economy and, more than virtually all other countries, we cannot afford to take risks with it. I am therefore committed to properly applying the legislation governing the carriage of cattle by sea in a way that is fully consistent with facilitating cattle exports on suitable vessels which meet reasonable welfare requirements. Allowing Irish cattle to be shipped on vessels which do not meet stipulated requirements is simply a gamble not only with the welfare of the animals on board but with the future of the live export trade and the livelihood of thousands of Irish livestock farmers. My Department will continue, as it has done to date, to support the live trade by approving vessels which are of the required standard.
