I have been very anxious to arrange a comprehensive debate on this matter at the earliest possible date in Government time. Arrangements have been agreed between the Whips to make time for a detailed discussion on this at 1.30 p.m. tomorrow, 17 October, so Deputies will have an adequate opportunity to air their views.
I was faced with a situation where Dr. Avilov, the chief veterinary officer in Russia, who had been given full powers to make a determination on whether there would be a ban on Irish beef, had personally recommended on two occasions in the last two months the imposition of such a ban. Through political pressure we got that reversed. He was here from 7 to 12 October and visited our ports, our laboratories, our rendering plants, all the different facets of the beef industry. He presented us with a draft Protocol last Friday evening, 11 October.
I indicated to him, as I had indicated to the Iranians, that I was not prepared to sign the agreement on the basis of regionalisation. He made it absolutely clear that he had no difficulty with that but that the consequence would be a direct ban on all Irish beef in Russia effective from 1 November. I inquired from my officials as to the consequences of that ban and whether they were convinced that this would happen. They advised me that with 100,000 tonnes of beef or 300,000 animals having no market, safety net intervention would be a likelihood.
People have complained to me that 82p per lb is not a viable price. From 1 November I was faced with the prospect that not only farmers in Tipperary, Cork and Monaghan, but every beef farmer in the country, would be faced with a £50 per head drop in prices, a drop of 5p in the prevailing rate down to 78p per lb. I want to avoid that situation. In hindsight — this can only be judged in hindsight — this is a temporary hiccup, because I have a review clause in this agreement. I am going to Russia in a couple of weeks to negotiate on the basis of 23 counties in and three counties out as opposed to 26 out and none in, which would be much more difficult. The figures will determine which counties are in or out.
In the detailed stages of the negotiation the Russians wanted a ban on seven counties. The additional counties were Limerick, Donegal, Longford and Wexford. If the Russians had decided to ban Wexford at the end of the negotiations, I would have taken the same decision, because it was in the national interest, and I would say that in my own constituency.
Russia accounts for 26 per cent of our exports. Some 74 per cent of our exports are accounted for within Europe, and go to France, Britain, Germany, Holland, Italy and Spain. We are also selling to Egypt and Algeria. The ban on Saudi Arabia was lifted on Tuesday of this week. Like any branding scheme, the beef from those three counties can go to intervention. It can go to everywhere except Russia and there are no restrictions. Regionalisation was sought because, four years ago, the French made a regional agreement Protocol with Iran which was renewed recently. They told us we have the second highest level of BSE in the Union, we have a higher rate of BSE than France, and asked us why they should accept a less stringent deal from Ireland than they accepted from France, which volunteered this agreement.
What concerns me most is not the Russians or the safety of beef in these counties, but the hysterical overreaction, the momentum of which will be to advertise to the world that there is a serious question mark over this beef where there is no scientific basis for it. I hope the opportunism of the Opposition will not get in the way of the best interests of beef farmers from those counties.