Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 3

Written Answers - Agricultural Exports.

Johnny Brady

Question:

83 Mr. J. Brady asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when he expects international clearance for the export of meat, dairy products and livestock arising from the closure of markets due to the foot and mouth disease outbreak in County Louth; the efforts which are under way or planned to reopen those export markets which were recently closed due to the outbreak; the further efforts which are under way to re-open those markets closed earlier due to the BSE scare in continental Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14044/01]

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

Some legal restric tions on exports of live cattle within the EU were lifted on 19 April in respect of Ireland and on 30 April in respect of the 10 kilometre exclusion zone in County Louth. There are other issues relating to the transport of animals through member states and to the specific guarantees required by importing veterinary authorities which remain to be resolved. With regard to livestock exports to third countries and while the import requirements are a matter strictly for the country in question, the situation generally is subject to OIE guidelines. These stipulate, as a minimum, a three month period free of foot and mouth disease before disease free status can be restored. Assuming that no further outbreaks occur in Ireland, we will recover our disease free OIE status on 22 June next.

My Department is in contact with our various markets with a view to the earliest possible resumption of the live trade.

On pigmeat, important markets in the United States and Japan were lost due to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. While every effort is being made to reopen those markets, and contacts have already taken place, much will depend on Ireland recovering its international disease free status towards the end of June. As regards milk products, my Department together with the Department of Foreign Affairs has succeeded in having export restrictions lifted in all key export markets. Any outstanding bans on Irish dairy products will be tackled in a similar manner to ensure normal trade flows are resumed.

The only beef export market affected by the recent FMD crisis was Russia. The majority of our non-European markets had been closed to Irish beef exports as a result of the BSE crisis in Europe late last year. The task of recovering those markets is based very much on a restoration of confidence in the safety of our product and, with that in mind, my Department has been in ongoing contact or in correspondence with the relevant authorities in those countries which have been significant markets for Irish beef to point out to them the level and effectiveness of the controls in place in Ireland.

Egypt is our largest market for beef and much of our effort in recovering export markets has been focused on Egypt. I and senior officials of my Department travelled to Egypt last December and met with the Egyptian authorities in Cairo in an effort to secure restoration of this market for Irish beef. The Taoiseach also spoke with Egyptian President Mubarak on this matter. Further visits to Egypt were undertaken by officials of my Department this year, the most recent being at the end of April and I also took the opportunity earlier this month to raise the matter with a visiting Egyptian ministerial delegation. Another important market is Saudi Arabia and a senior veterinary official of my Department travelled last January to Riyadh to brief the authorities there on our BSE controls. I am satisfied that the Egyptian and Saudi authorities have a full appreciation of the low level of BSE in Ireland, the way in which it is dealt with and the effectiveness of the many layers of controls and checks that are in place. However, in many of our non-EU markets, and Egypt is a good example, the situation has been exacerbated by adverse public opinion as a result of sensationalised media reporting on BSE and, in particular, on the BSE developments in those EU countries which encountered their first cases last year.

The situation with regard to Russia is that Ireland had been banned as a source of supply following our FMD outbreak. Prior to this I had invited the Russian Minister for Agriculture and the Chief Veterinary Officer, both of whom were newly appointed to their posts late last year, to visit Ireland to see for themselves the level and effectiveness of the BSE controls in place. This invitation still stands. The Irish Embassy in Moscow and An Bord Bia are maintaining close contact with the Russian authorities on the earliest possible resumption of trade in beef.

In the case of Lebanon, the situation is that contact has been ongoing with the authorities there on reopening the live trade. A proposed veterinary health certificate has now been submitted to the Lebanese authorities which, if acceptable, should open the way for the resumption of this important trade.

While every effort, both directly and through diplomatic channels, is being made to reopen third country markets to Irish beef and livestock, it is, however, clear that a restoration of exports to those markets is linked to an easing of the concerns about BSE at EU level.