Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 1

Written Answers. - Cattle Exports.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

65 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of cattle exported through the port of Greenore, County Louth, in the period from October 1991 to February 1994 which were subjected to departmental inspection; the value of these cattle; the number and grades of his departmental staff based at Greenore port during this period; the checks or inspections of cattle for export operated by his Department at the port during that period; the checks, if any, in place to ensure that all cattle exported during that period originated in this country; if he has satisfied himself that all cattle exported in this period originated in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7227/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh):

A total of 141,749 cattle was exported from Greenore in the period from 1 October 1991 to 28 February 1994. Information on the value of these animals is not available.

In this period one superintending veterinary inspector, three veterinary inspectors, two senior agricultural officers, three technical agricultural officers and one ship inspector who retired in September 1993 and was not replaced were responsible for performing pre-export checks at Greenore port. The number of officers present to perform inspections on particular occasions varied in accordance with the number and size of consignments intended for export.

The identity cards of all cattle intended for export, including those at Greenore, are checked at the point of export by authorised officers of my Department. These are are then cross checked against the animals' ear tags to ensure that the details correspond. Veterinary officials also perform a clinical inspection to ensure that the animals are fit to travel and are vigilant for signs of interference with ear tags or identity cards which might be indicative of an attempt to conceal or falsify the identity of the animals.

While there have been allegations from time to time as regards the origin of exports, the checks performed at Greenore port in the period referred to by the Deputy revealed no proof that animals intended for export had been illegally imported from the UK.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

67 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his Department has received any allegations that cattle originating in Northern Ireland may have been exported as cattle from this country during the period between October 1991 and February 1994 in contravention of the ban on the export of cattle from the United Kingdom; the investigation, if any, carried out into these allegations; the outcome of this investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7229/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh):

Allegations have been made from time to time that cattle from Northern Ireland were being exported through Irish ports. Such allegations are taken very seriously and have been investigated as far as possible in close co-operation with customs officers and with the Northern Ireland authorities. As a result of its control activities in this area, my Department has seized animals in a number of instances and control procedures have been regularly reinforced.

In this context and as a result of suspicions that an officer of my Department was engaged in activities which might facilitate the falsification of cattle identities, my Department conducted a joint investigation with an Garda Síochána which culminated in a successful criminal prosecution on 18 January 2000.

Neither the controls effected by my Department on a day to day basis, nor any of the investigations referred to above have provided proof that cattle originating in Northern Ireland were exported as cattle originating in this State in the period referred to by the Deputy.