Vol. 505 No. 3
60 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of cattle, believed to have been smuggled from Northern Ireland, seized so far this year; the steps, if any, taken by his Department to end this smuggling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13587/99]
A total of 64 cattle believed to have been illegally imported from Northern Ireland have been seized in the first four months of this year. A very extensive range of measures is in place to ensure the integrity of animals presented for slaughter including an animal traceability system. Close liaison is maintained between my Department, the Garda authorities and the Customs and Excise to ensure that the ban on import of live cattle from the United Kingdom is fully implemented. It should also be noted that the primary onus is on the UK authorities to comply with the implementation of the ban.
