Vol. 505 No. 3
53 Mr. D. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress, if any, being achieved in expanding the shipping capacity for livestock to export markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13622/99]
The provision of shipping facilities for transporting livestock is in the first instance a matter for the private sector.
Since the beginning of the year, my Department has approved four additional dedicated cattle ships. All of these have been approved for transporting cattle to the Continent while two are approved for markets further afield such as the Lebanon.
This brings the total number of dedicated ships approved for the export of cattle to 16 and gives a capacity on such vessels for over 22,000 heads of cattle at 500kg weight.
In addition, there is the capacity for up to 30 livestock units to be carried each week on roll-on/roll-off services currently operating out of Rosslare. My Department has recently approved another vessel, the M.V. Venus for a roll-on/roll-off service between Cork and St. Malo. This new service, which is expected to carry nine to ten livestock units on each voyage, is planned to commence next month and is in addition to the existing two roll-on/roll-off services available from Rosslare to the Continent for livestock exporters.
There has been a further dramatic surge in live exports this year with total exports to early May, 1999 amounting to 121,279, compared with 44,330 in the same period last year – a 173 per cent increase. Exports to the Continent thus far this year amount to 91,217, compared with 33,294 in the same period last year.
My Department will continue to respond without delay to all reasonable requests for inspection of vessels and will be inspecting additional ships within the next two months, which may result in a further increase in available shipping capacity.
