Pádraic McCormack
Question:218 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position regarding the export of sheep and cattle to Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12206/03]
Written Answers. - Beef Exports.
It is my policy and that of the Government that Irish beef and cattle should have unrestricted access to any market where exporters consider there are commercial possibilities for this trade and every effort continues to be made at political, diplomatic and technical level to achieve that objective. Specifically in relation to Saudi Arabia, the position is that in December 2000 the Kingdom imposed a temporary ban on the importation of beef and cattle from the EU, including Ireland. Despite intensive efforts to have the market reopened this has not happened to date. It should be noted that Saudi Arabia is not considered to be a traditional market for live cattle from Ireland with 1996 being the last year in which such trade took place.
Saudi Arabia, as one of the Gulf States, offers considerable potential for Irish beef and, for this reason, enormous efforts are being made to have the ban lifted. As part of this approach my Department, working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and An Bord Bia, hosted a conference on food safety and consumer protection in the beef sector last October in Dublin aimed specifically at important markets in the Gulf region. The conference, which was attended by experts from the Gulf Co-operation Council's food safety committee and included representatives from Saudi Arabia, afforded the visiting experts the opportunity to fully assess the level and effectiveness of Ireland's BSE controls.
While the Saudi market still remains closed to our beef reaction to the conference was very positive and we are continuing our efforts to have all of these markets reopened at the earliest possible opportunity. As regards sheep the EU is a deficit area and a net importer of lamb and consequently export to non-EU countries does not arise. Most of our trade is with France which takes some 80% of our sheepmeat exports.
Question No. 219 answered with Question No. 214.