Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 14 Apr 1994

Vol. 441 No. 3

Irish Beef Exports: Statements.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

I welcome the opportunity to discuss further in this House the possibility of measures being introduced by Germany in regard to Irish beef imports. I sincerely appreciate the solidarity being shown in this matter. In their contributions last night Deputy Harney and Deputy Doyle were extremely responsible in commenting on this important matter. This is an important issue for a variety of reasons given the economic importance of our beef industry, the significance of our beef export trade to Germany and the need to protect our reputation as a major exporter of high quality beef to a wide range of international markets.

There is no suggestion of a ban being imposed by Germany on Irish beef. The German authorities through their embassy, have confirmed this point. What we have is a draft proposal by the German health ministry which provides that additional requirements would be imposed on beef imports from certain countries, including Ireland. These conditions would be over and above the requirements set down in the European Union trade rules on beef. This matter is still at the proposal stage. No decision has been made by the German authorities. As of now there are no restrictions on Irish beef exports to Germany. I emphasise this point in order that we do not damage the reputation of our valuable industry by being too alarmist.

As it happens we could meet the extra conditions being suggested, because of our elaborate control system on BSE, but that is not the issue. I am extremely concerned that Ireland should be mentioned at all in scope of any proposed measures. The measures being proposed by Germany are not justified on scientific or economic grounds. Neither can they be justified on animal or public health grounds. Any such action would be unilateral in nature and, consequently, would be illegal under the rules of the Single Market. It could not be defended by any scientific argument or any normal risk analysis.

Since this matter has come to light I have lost no time, nor have I spared any effort, in conveying my views to the German authorities. Through our Embassy in Bonn and through the German embassy in this country we have explained that any unilateral action of the kind suggested would be completely unjustified and would be contrary to European Union law. Contact has also been established at the highest level in the German ministry of agriculture. We are also liaising with the European Commission who have a central role to play in this matter. We are making progress in convincing the German authorities of the merits of our case. The latest indications are that the German authorities will defer any action until after the next Agriculture Council on 26 April. I am satisfied that the matter can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion and that the suggested restrictions will not be imposed on Irish beef. I intend to persist with my efforts to ensure that unilateral measures are not taken against Irish beef.

It would be helpful if I explained to the House our situation in regard to BSE. Ireland has a low sporadic incidence of the disease. Since 1989 over 80 cases have occurred in a cattle population of 7 million animals. This is equivalent to an incidence rate of 0.0002 per cent which is insignificant. We have an extremely comprehensive set of controls in place. BSE confirmed animals are destroyed and removed from the food chain. We are unique in having a system of depopulating herds in which a case occurs. The feeding of meat and bone meal to ruminants is banned. We have a very good surveillance system, which includes ante- and post-mortem examinations in abattoirs for the symptoms of the disease. These controls, which go beyond those recommended by the European Union and other organisations, allied to the high animal health status which this country enjoys, highlight the reason additional measures or controls on the part of the German authorities would not be justified. In reality they would serve no useful purpose. BSE is a disease which has generated a considerable amount of interest and has been the subject of considerable scientific research and analysis. The various measures which have been put in place by the European Union, which, incidently, do not refer to Ireland, have been on the basis of scientific information. Germany is attempting to depart from the scientific approach and this is not reasonable. Neither is it acceptable that a member state should be allowed to depart from the rules of the Single Market. These rules should apply equally to all member states and Irish beef should have continued access to the German market on the basis of these agreed rules. We can settle for no less.

If further discussion is necessary at European Union level on BSE, then I have no objection to that. Neither can I have any objection to on-going scientific analysis and research. This, in fact, has been happening, especially in the UK where a number of major projects are under way. However, matters like this cannot be progressed on the basis of unilateral measures by individual member states.

The fact that Ireland is regarded as having just a trickle of BSE cases is recognised by international organisations such as OIE, the International Veterinary Organisation and WHO. It was also accepted by the EU Commission when it extensively reviewed the matter in 1990. This country sells beef to 60 countries internationally. Our beef industry has made good strides in penetrating lucrative value-added markets in Europe and especially in gaining a foothold in the supermarket trade. It is part of a concerted move away from intervention. Germany is a very good example of such a market. It was worth £75 million last year. There is scope for further development and progress in that area. We have a good product, produced in a good environment and under good conditions. I am, therefore, determined that our market access should be protected and maintained.

I can assure the House that I will spare no effort to avoid any disruption of our beef exports to Germany. The low levels of the disease in this country and the extensive nature of our controls means that any proposed restrictions by Germany would be unnecessary and unwarranted. I am satisfied that the German authorities recognised the value of our controls and I believe that over the past day or so we have made good progress in getting our argument across.

In summary, I am confident that this matter can be resolved without the restrictions being put in place. A discussion at the Council of Agriculture Ministers later this month could clarify the matter further and the EU Commission will no doubt play a constructive and a helpful role in the matter. Should the German authorities decide to proceed with the proposed unilateral action we would have no alternative but to protect our position by taking the matter to the European Court. However, I think good sense will prevail and it will not come to that.

Mrs. Doyle

With confirmation yesterday that the German Health Minister, Mr. Horst Seehofer is pressing ahead with plans to restrict Irish beef imports, immediate and determined action by this Government and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry is now required to defend our multi-million pound beef industry from further slanderous comment and commercial sabotage. Let us make no mistake, what we are looking at has been the grossest of commercial sabotage.

With only 80 cases of BSE in our national herd of seven million — 0,0002 per cent — compared with the 100,000 cases in the UK which has a national herd of 12 million, there is no justification for concern at home or abroad about the health status and certification of Irish beef. Recognising that public health must always be paramount, there is complete depopulation of herds in which a case of BSE arises and the containment of the disease in this country, despite the virulent outbreak in the UK, is a valid testimony to the strict procedures in place.

The innuendo and totally unwarranted scare about health risks from Irish beef comprise a profoundly unfriendly act towards Ireland by the German authorities, and that surprises me. This disgraceful act of commercial sabotage has all to do with the dynamics of internal German politics and nothing to do with the health status of our herd. The German Minister for Health urgently needs to restore his political credibility with federal elections in the offing since the major scandal over blood plasma products broke in Germany.

German farm incomes have decreased by 19 per cent over the last three years while at the same time Irish beef penetration of the German market increased by more than 50 per cent. The present scaremongering could decrease Irish beef consumption in Germany, thereby increasing the sourcing of beef domestically, and help to restore the political fortune of a Minister for Health who is prepared to stoop to any depths to ingratiate himself with the German electorate. Recent television reports in Germany are urging consumers to change to German beef to be sure that they will have healthy beef. That is the propaganda going out on German TV about Irish beef. If this is not electioneering on the back of the Irish beef trade, it could be little else.

The words of Herr Borchert, the German Federal Agriculture Minister, in Dublin Castle on 30 March last are worth looking at again. In this lengthy address to this major conference, Agri-Vision 2000, he referred to his concern about the imbalance in trade between Ireland and Germany. He said that in 1992, Ireland exported 17 times more agricultural goods to Germany than it imported from Germany. This export surplus was approximately 1.2 billion DM. Rather ominously, he also pointed to the fact that in the case of butter exports to Germany at 34,000 tonnes in 1992, these are ten times greater today than they were ten years ago. Herr Borchert went on to comment on what he saw as Irish agriculture's clear advantages in some sectors, not only in terms of natural but also of economic conditions of production. He said: "It is above all Ireland's economic advantages which cause great difficulties for German agriculture". That appears in a different context today than it did on 30 March. In the context of CAP reform proposals, he went on:

... to reduce production is proving to be more difficult for beef than for cereals and milk. It would be impossible, for administrative reasons, to close down production capacity, and a quota regulation cannot be considered because of the lack of controls at the point of sale ...

... I am not yet convinced that beef regulations introduced so far would bring about a lasting improvement in the market. The measures taken must, in my view, be examined once again.

Herr Borchert's view is that "competition within European agriculture will increase". I hope that will be done fairly, honourably, with no dirty tricks and within European Union rules.

While we would have no difficulty in complying with the restrictions imposed on Irish beef, they are unacceptable. The commercial facts of life are that those sourcing beef will go elsewhere if extra red tape and bureaucracy are imposed. My views are supported by our failure to penetrate the Turkish and Jordanian markets in recent years where there has been a huge increase in the importation of beef sourced from Europe. Those countries set a precedent for the market damage that can be caused when restrictions are imposed. In Turkey 22,000 tonnes of beef were sourced from Europe in 1991 and increased to 30,000 tonnes by 1993, but excluded Irish beef because of the restrictions they had placed on Irish and UK beef. We were lumped in with the UK problem by the Turks who obviously did not have an appreciation of the health status of the Irish herd. In Jordan 16,500 tonnes of beef were sourced from Europe in 1991 which increased to more than 46,000 tonnes last year, but again with no penetration of the market by Irish beef because of restrictions.

The very implication that restrictions may be necessary carries a broad message for the consumer and European and world markets. It must be understood that if we have to comply with any restrictions, they will have a similar effect to a total ban and if anyone doubts that they need only consider what happened in Turkey and Jordan.

The very suggestion of a restriction has had an extremely damaging effect on our export trade to Germany. To couple us with the problem in the UK and fail to draw any distinction between the huge difference in incidence of disease and our total slaughter or depopulation policy in the case of any outbreak which makes us BSE free can only be interpreted as an act of commercial sabotage.

We now have reports of the Dutch and our other export markets expressing concern about the reports from the German Health Ministry. Any hint of restrictions implies risk in eating Irish meat. German officials are asking supermarkets to delist Irish beef. We have reports of supermarkets advertising that they do not sell Irish beef. The enormous implications of this to one of our vital industries cannot be lost.

The Minister has known for some days of the intentions of the German authorities, but failed to act to counter the libel and slander of this to one of our major industries. The Health Minister imposed the restrictions. The Minister may have been working behind the scenes, but we do not have evidence of that. In any case, his actions failed because we still have public scaremongering in respect of the health status of the Irish herd by a German Health Minister. I ask the Minister to vigorously lobby the Council of Agriculture Ministers when it meets in a couple of weeks and the President of the European Commission to force the Germans to withdraw their proposed restrictions and apologise for this act of commercial sabotage which has inflicted international damage on our excellent reputation as quality food and beef producers. If this line of action should fail the Minister must indicate that he is prepared to go through the German courts and, if necessary, the European Court of Justice — I welcome the indication that he would take that course of action — to redress the damage and to indicate our earnestness in protecting our quality Irish industry.

Even if the Germans withdrew their proposed restrictions and apologised in the morning, as I hope they will, there must be a case for major damages to restore the credibility of the Irish food industry in the eyes of world markets. If an individual behaved against another individual in the manner in which the Germans have against the Irish in relation to the health status of Irish beef, it would be actionable and the sums involved would be extremely large. I fail to understand how one so-called friendly country can behave as the Germans have towards us on this issue and not pay for the damage they have caused by innuendo and implication.

The Government's ham-fisted performance during the bungled European negotiations on the National Development Plan was a study in how not to influence people and win friends in Europe. The continuous abrasive wrangling and the gratuitious insulting of senior European officials squandered in a reckless way the fund of goodwill that had been built up so carefully since we joined the Union.

The 11:1 defeat of the Minister for the Marine and this direct threat to our beef and, indirectly, to the quality of our entire food industry shows how isolated we are in Europe. The blame and shame for this isolation lies squarely on the shoulders of the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the entire Government team. It will be up to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry to redress the damage done to our beef industry. We are not merely talking about protecting the producers of beef or farmers — although thousands of them are extremely important contributors to our GNP — but about protecting the livelihoods of thousands of PAYE workers in meat processing plants, an area that could create much more employment if allowed to do so unhindered by scaremongering. Thousands of jobs and livelihoods are on the line. The jobs of veterinary surgeons and all those involved in linked industries to the meat processing industry are at stake if the Minister cannot in the next day or two, nail the damage that has been done by innuendo and implication by the German Health Minister linking us to the problem of BSE in the UK.

If the Germans decided that the restrictions should apply to all beef imports they would be entitled to do so, but to single us out for special mention in the same breath with the UK problem is unacceptable and the Minister must make them realise and accept that. Nothing short of an apology with no restrictions will be acceptable. If the Germans want to play the rules of the European Union fairly and not resort to dirty tricks, either to electioneer or to increase the income prospects of German farmers, they must apologise to make good the damage they have done to one of our vital national interests, namely our beef industry.

This is not a time for being a gentleman, it is a time for taking off the gloves and speaking to the Germans in a language they will understand. If they get away with this act of commercial sabotage what will happen down the road? There may be an attack on Ireland's major butter imports into Germany, which have increased tenfold in the past three years, to protect their farmers. Will they resort to further dirty tricks to cause further damage, particularly in election years, if they get away on this one? It is profoundly regrettable that a country I considered friendly towards us should resort to such tactics.

This matter has nothing to do with the health status of the Irish herd which is the best in Europe and accepted by the Germans to be so, all the more inexplicable their behaviour in linking us to the UK BSE problem. Epidemiologists will say we do not have a problem with BSE with a .0002 incidence. I challenge the German authorities to list the bovine diseases they have with a greater incidence than that and to tell us that the health status of our herd is not infinitely higher than that of the German herd. Yet, we have never publicly humiliated or tried to discredit the German beef production sector as they have done to us.

This will be a test of the Minister's earnestness and I hope the gloves will be taken off. I await evidence of his effort to obtain a public apology, the removal of any restrictions and the making good of the excellent name of Irish beef and quality food production.

Miss Harney

I am pleased we are having this debate and I thank the Government for allowing time for it, even by way of statements. I am also delighted the Minister is present.

I detect a change in Government attitude today as opposed to yesterday. I agree with most of what Deputy Doyle said. Obviously the food sector is particularly important to our economy. It employs 25 per cent of those in manufacturing jobs and earns approximately 40 per cent of our net export earnings. The German market is our second biggest continental one and this year meat sales to Germany will be worth approximately £100 million.

The Irish food sector thrives on its reputation for producing a high quality product. That is particularly important in Germany because of the high level of consumer awareness there. In the early 1990s Kerrygold was able to double its sale of butter on the German market at a time when the overall butter market was declining. It achieved that on the basis of a high quality product and being able to capture a niche market within Germany. All consumers are sensitive to quality, image and presentation, but perhaps the Germans are the most sensitive of all.

From time to time Germany uses restrictions of this kind as a barrier to trade. A number of years ago the Germans imposed extremely tough restrictions on products supplied to their markets. The producer had to give an undertaking to deal with any waste material and producers from small countries had to make arrangements for recycling such waste. While that measure was noble and worthy from an environmental point of view, it posed an enormous barrier to trade for many companies and was seen as having being introduced for that purpose. I am not sure that this is not what is happening in this case as well.

I agree with Deputy Doyle there are political implications, but I also consider there are major commercial implications. A recent "blind" taste test survey was carried out among German consumers who were given beef to taste. Irish beef rated 65 per cent as opposed to 25 per cent for the locally produced product. Are these restrictions being considered in Germany because Irish beef is so popular and is growing in market terms there? About 85 per cent of the beef we export to Germany is supplied as vacuum packed prime beef cuts for sale in the retail sector. Product, quality and reputation are extremely important to the people who buy that beef. The fact that our product is winning high marks because of its high quality may have given rise to concern among local producers and may be a reason for these rumours.

The Minister referred to the incidence of BSE here — 87 cases in a herd of 7 million. He calculated the percentage as 0.0002 per cent, a very low rate. We do not have an indigenous BSE problem and it is well known we have the most stringent BSE eradiction programme in Europe. A person whom I would highly regard in this area said that if public health was at risk the supply of Irish beef to any market could not be justified. That person told me we are regarded as having the most stringent eradication programme in Europe. The incidence of BSE here has come from animals imported from the UK or from contaminated bone meal fed to animals which is now banned. There has been more than 100,000 cases of BSE in the United Kingdom, 36,000 cases last year in a herd of 12 million as opposed to 16 cases in a herd of 7 million here. Those figures highlight the difficulties in the UK and that there is no problem from an Irish point of view.

I wish to deal with the politics of this issue in a responsible way because we all have a responsibility. A major sector is at stake. I detect in the Minister's attitude a change of heart. Originally the Government took the view that there would be an effective ban on our beef because the restrictions are an effective ban. Those restrictions will only apply to cattle slaughtered within three years or animals with clear certificate for four years. A scare about the health implications of beef or any food product might as well be a ban because people will be afraid to purchase the product. As Deputy Doyle said, and reference was made to this in the national media today, there are signs in many German supermarkets stating that they do not stock Irish or British beef. Effectively it is a ban. The Minister went to great lengths to say there is not a ban at present and that we must not involve ourselves in scare tactics or be alarmist.

We must be extremely concerned, because to counteract a health scare of that type will be difficult. It will take all the ammunition the Government can muster and will require additional resources for CBF. It is much more difficult to get positive publicity and to counteract a scare of this kind than one might imagine. When people are worried or doubtful about a product they will switch to another.

Even if the Germans do not impose restrictions the damage may well have been done and that is a cause for concern. Was the German ambassador called in by the Minister? I said last night he should have been called in by the Taoiseach. We need to state our point of view as forcefully and vigorously as possible. What has happened in a disgrace. Deputy Doyle described it as libellous or slanderous. It is highly irresponsible and there is no justification for putting our beef products in the same category as those of the United Kingdom.

The Minister said that no decision will be made before 26 April but that date is too far away. In the matter of two weeks much permanent damage will have been done not only in the German market, which is an important one, but also in other continental and international markets where competitors will be able to use the German example to prevent people from purchasing Irish beef. A decision cannot wait until 26 April. Has any contact been made with the President of the Commission?

I admire the fact that the Minister said this matter would be taken to the Court of Justice because I believe it contravenes Article 30 of the Union treaty. When French farmers were banned from supplying turkeys to the UK market in 1982 because of the Newcastle disease they won their case before the Court of Justice and received £12 million compensation from the British, but the amount of damage done in the process was a great deal more than £12 million because the good name of the product had been destroyed. Obviously the same will be the case with Irish beef. What will be done at European Commission level before 26 April to seek to have the proposals withdrawn from the agenda of the German Government?

When did the Minister become aware of this proposal? Was he aware of it before it hit the public press on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning? What actions did he take? Given our membership of the European Union it is normal when the products of member states are the subject of proposals by Ministers that inquiries are made through diplomatic and other channels. Were such inquiries made? Was the Minister aware what was happening and what action did he take? The Irish Commissioner is quoted extensively in newspaper articles. What role is he playing at European Union level to protect the good name of Irish food products generally?

This is a labour intensive sector capable of generating many more jobs and sensitive to high environmental standards and to the perception that products are produced in the purest possible environment. If those conditions exist that sector is capable of generating thousands of new jobs, particularly if we target the value added end of the market, which has not been targeted as extensively as it could have been in the past. It has the capacity to grow but it will be dependent on reputation, quality and image and if that image is tarnished, which is the case in this instance, it could stunt the growth of what could be a very successful industry in the future.

What resources are available to CBF, particularly in terms of the German market, to counteract the publicity this scare has generated? If at supermarket level German consumers read signs to the effect that no Irish or British beef is sold there, what resources are at the disposal of CBF to counteract such negative publicity?

Mr. Rabbitte

With the permission of Chair I wish to share my time with Deputy Tom Foxe.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Mr. Rabbitte

The decision of the German authorities to place restrictions on the importation of Irish beef is a serious development which, as Deputy Doyle said, is tantamount to commercial sabotage and must be resisted in the strongest possible way by the Irish Government. Even if the German proposals fall short of a total ban, which had been rumoured, the restrictions will still have serious implications which may have a knock-on impact way beyond the German market. It is a development which, if allowed go unchallenged, will have implications not only for farmers but also for thousands of workers employed in the meat industry, the transport business and ancillary trades. What is at risk here is not just Ireland's £100 million meat export market to Germany but the reputation of Irish meat throughout the world.

Ireland must insist that the European Union acts to prevent Germany from using spurious claims about BSE in the Irish herd to discriminate against Irish beef. This is not the first occasion on which the Germans attempted to ban beef imports allegedly because of BSE. In 1989 they attempted to ban imports from Britain where everyone acknowledges there is a serious problem with BSE. On that occasion the European Union intervened to prevent the ban. There must be similar intervention to protect Irish exports, particularly as so few incidents of BSE have been recorded here.

International concern about the spread of BSE is understandable. The extent of the problem in Britain is alarming. We have all seen dramatic television pictures of the horrific impact of the disease on cattle. Some evidence has emerged that it may be passed from cow to calf and a similar condition has been discovered in cats. While there has been no evidence of the condition being passed to humans, concern among consumers is understandable and it is absolutely essential that every possible step is taken to prevent any remote possibility of it being passed on through the food chain. Even allowing for these concerns there is no justification for imposing restrictions on Irish beef.

While hundreds of cases of BSE are recorded in Britain each week, fewer than 90 animals have been identified with the disease in Ireland. In virtually all these cases the source of the condition has been identified as coming from outside the country. Since 1988 we have banned the importation of bonemeal, the principal source of contamination. The policy of slaughtering all animals in herds where even a single case is detected has been an expensive exercise for the taxpayer but it is the correct strategy if we are serious about protecting the reputation of Irish beef. In reply to a recent parliamentary question in the House the Minister said that £8 million has been spent in this area, and more money may have to be spent.

It is extraordinary that the German authorities have decided to ignore our record and treat Irish beef in the same way as the product from Britain where the problem is so serious. There are considerable grounds for believing that this move, certainly in so far as it relates to Irish beef, is motivated by domestic and commercial considerations rather than genuine health fears. It is totally in breach of the spirit of the European Union and GATT, and the Government must take all steps, including legal action, open to it to challenge the German decision.

Elections are due to be held in Germany in the near future. There is a strong farmers lobby there which would like to see restrictions on Irish beef for their own reasons. There is also a strong consumers lobby in Germany which the Government there will clearly want to impress prior to the election. Irish beef, Irish farmers and Irish workers in the meat and related industries should not be the pawns in a German electoral game. The implications of this move would be considerable and could have a knock-on impact way beyond the German market. If Irish beef is smeared in this way it is likely that other countries may be panicked into imposing similar restrictions. In particular the valuable Middle East market, where there are serious concerns about BSE, may be put at risk.

This controversy raises the broader question of the need to protect and enhance the reputation of Irish beef. Our biggest marketing asset abroad is the relatively clean and uncontaminated image of our product, and this must be protected at all costs. There is no significant problem with BSE, but there is one from the use of illegal growth promoters, which would be a mistake to ignore. To many consumers at home and abroad the differences between BSE and the use of angel dust are not always clear. Unfortunately, despite all the warnings, the increase in penalties and the exhortations of the Minister, a number of farmers continue to put the pursuit of quick profits before the broader interests of the farming community and persist with the use of illegal substances. They pose a considerable threat to the international image of Irish beef, almost as great as the unjustified action by the German authorities. If we are to protect the international reputation of Irish beef the Government must take all possible action, including international legal action, against the German restrictions. We must also intensify efforts to protect and prosecute domestic saboteurs who use illegal growth promoters.

Mr. T. Foxe

I thank Deputy Rabbitte for sharing his time with me. The news emanating from Germany in the past few days has been most distressing and disturbing, news that in certain supermarkets in Germany window advertisements state that they are not selling Irish and British beef. This is much more serious than we would be inclined to think at first glance. Bearing in mind that our total exports amount to in the region of £17 billion annually while exports of beef and cattle are slightly in excess of £1 billion, that puts in perspective our dependence on the cattle and beef trade. Industrially we operate under many constraints — the size of our production units are quite small and we are also constrained by our peripheral location. It is bad enough to have those two drawbacks without being ostracised by the second largest importer of Irish beef on the Continent, namely, Germany.

To date we have had a total of 84 cases of BSE whereas two years ago there were 1,000 cases of BSE per week in Britain, yet we are being treated in the same way as Britain by the Germans. When infected animals are discovered here the Department insists on closing the farm concerned, with no animals allowed in or out. All bovines on that farm — cows, calves, bulls, bullocks and heifers — are slaughtered. The Department must be complimented on its approach in this regard. In England when an animal is found to have BSE, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, known coloquially as mad cow disease, only the affected animal is slaughtered.

Approximately four years ago Ireland lost a valuable trade to the Middle East. The reason for that was that certain "friends" of ours in Europe spread rumours to the effect that our herd was infected with BSE. When Middle Eastern countries refused to import our beef cattle, the country most responsible for spreading those rumours filled our quotas. One wonders why, on this occasion, the same country adopted the approach it adopted over the past few days. I am happy to hear the Minister state that there will not be a ban on Irish beef but while notices are being displayed in supermarkets indicating that no Irish or British beef is being sold, there will be no need for a ban — nobody will buy beef and, consequently, no country will import it.

That move to highlight the effects of mad cow disease some years ago was assisted by the media in Ireland, particularly, television. Night after night we were shown pictures of an animal so affected by mad cow disease that it was staggering around the feeding yard. Some people suspected that all cattle were affected and, consequently, the consumption of beef here dropped alarmingly. I hope the media on this occasion will not assist our enemies on the Continent as it did then.

Members on all sides of the House, both today and yesterday, have shown their great concern for this problem but there is a greater threat looming than the one presently facing us. It would be most unfortunate to lose £100 million in export trade to Germany but a greater threat is the continued use of angel dust and other illegal substances. I realise those substances are banned but it does not matter whether they are injurious to health: our customers believe they are. They want beef that is produced without the aid of such substances. As soon as the word goes out abroad that our cattle are so treated, our export trade will collapse. While I complimented the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry earlier, I would criticise them in this regard because they are not imposing sufficiently stringent rules. If they brought those cases to finality it would highlight the use of angel dust and other such substances.

Small farmers are not responsible for this in most cases but other outlets, including factories, are responsible for promoting the use of such substances, and while that practice continues it will remain a greater threat than that posed by the Germans criticising our beef.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

I wish to thank each of the Deputies who contributed so responsibly to this debate. We are in agreement that we do not have an indigenous BSE problem in Ireland and that the relatively insignificant number of cattle found with this disease were imported. Those cattle, as well as the entire herds, were immediately depopulated and put out of the human food chain.

We have a unique system of controls in Ireland. It is the best in Europe and no other member state has such rigorous controls, depopulation policy and ante and post mortem examinations. These enable us to ensure consumers that the food they purchase is safe to eat and comes from a country with the highest environmental and hygiene standards. That is the main reason CBF and Irish exporters have been spectacularly successful in recent years in exporting to the most prestigious markets, in particular Germany, not only beef but butter also. I do not have to spell out the level of success we have had in both of those areas at the highest and most prestigious level of the market.

In regard to this specific matter, it came to my attention unofficially some days ago that the German Minister for Health had a draft proposal to impose some restrictions on the importation of beef into Germany from a number of member states. I was most concerned that Ireland was one of those member states and I made the point repeatedly to the various authorities in Germany that this action was unilateral, discriminatory, unjustified and was calculated to do major damage to the Irish beef market, not only in Germany but in the 60 countries worldwide to which we export Irish beef and other food products. I do not have to emphasise the importance of the market, not only for the economy but in regard to the number of jobs involved and the general support that our food industry provides for the economic and social development of the country.

I took up this matter immediately with the German Agriculture and Health Ministries, both personally and through our ambassador in Bonn. In addition, the German ambassador in Ireland was called to the Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday and was briefed on the matter. We expressed our extreme concern and the ambassador was left in no doubt about our position on this matter. Contact was made also with the Commissioners responsible for both Agriculture and Health and the latest indications are that this matter will not be proceeded with until after the Council of Agriculture meeting on 23 April. It is hoped and expected that this issue will be resolved at that meeting. Should any particular difficulty arise, I have made it clear that I regard the matter as unjustified, unilateral, discriminatory and not based on a scientific analysis of any kind.

I will not desist from taking whatever legal route may be required, if the matter should come to that, but I am confident we will not reach that stage. I am disappointed at the way this matter was leaked to the media. General scare tactics were used whereby German and other European consumers were put off Irish beef. This behaviour by one member state was out of order. I am confident that the strong representations made to all the relevant authorities, including the German authorities and the European Commission, will bring about a successful resolution of this problem.