Gerry Reynolds
Question:362 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of sheep and lambs imported in the years 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. [2694/02]
Written Answers. - Sheep-Lamb Imports.
The number of sheep and lambs recorded as having been imported in the years 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 is as follows:
|
Year |
Total |
|
1998 |
10,991 |
|
1999 |
1,717 |
|
2000 |
453 |
|
2001 |
143,250 |
It will be noted that there appears to have been a dramatic increase in the number of sheep imported during 2001. This is because prior to 2001 there was a bilateral agreement in place with Northern Ireland under which sheep could be moved freely between both jurisdictions without prior notification. Since the restoration of trade in sheep between this jurisdiction and Northern Ireland in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis, full intra-Community trade rules have been applied to cross-Border trade. These rules require,inter alia, prior notification by the member state of export to the importing member state, and for this reason imports from Northern Ireland are included in the statistics for 2001, but not in those for previous years.