Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 May 2023
506. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the quantity in head and value in euro by animal category (details supplied) of live sheep imported into the State, by the country that it was imported from over the past five calendar years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21457/23]
View answerImports and exports of live sheep are recorded on the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES).
TRACES is the European Commission's online platform for sanitary and phytosanitary certification required for the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants into the European Union, intra-EU trade and EU exports of animals and certain animal products.
My Department uses the TRACES to record all sheep movements between Ireland and all other jurisdictions whether for slaughter, breeding or fattening purposes.
The system records the volume, but not the value, of imported and exported sheep and does not differentiate by ovine category - whether lamb/hogget, spring lamb, ewe or ram.
The tables hereunder provide information on the quantity of live sheep imported from source markets annually for the years 2018 to 2022. inclusive. The data shows that Northern Ireland accounted for 99 percent of live sheep imports during that period.
Live Sheep Imports 2022
|
Country |
Quantity (Head) |
|
Northern Ireland |
420,554 |
|
France |
1,410 |
|
Belgium |
77 |
|
Netherlands |
119 |
|
Total |
422,160 |
Live Sheep Imports 2021
|
Country |
Quantity (Head) |
|
Northern Ireland |
367,585 |
|
France |
50 |
|
Belgium |
167 |
|
Netherlands |
134 |
|
Total |
367,936 |
Live Sheep Imports 2020
|
Country |
Quantity (Head) |
|
Northern Ireland |
421,855 |
|
United Kingdom |
24,140 |
|
France |
39 |
|
Belgium |
25 |
|
Netherlands |
48 |
|
Total |
446,107 |
Live Sheep Imports 2019
|
Country |
Quantity (Head) |
|
Northern Ireland |
461,507 |
|
France |
5 |
|
Belgium |
10 |
|
Total |
461,522 |
Live Sheep Imports 2018
|
Country |
Quantity (Head) |
|
Northern Ireland |
521,693 |
|
Austria |
10 |
|
France |
3 |
|
Belgium |
78 |
|
Netherlands |
14 |
|
Total |
521.798 |
