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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Jun 2000

Vol. 521 No. 6

Other Questions. - Live Exports.

Matt Brennan

Ceist:

9 Mr. M. Brennan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the trend in live cattle exports in 2000; the way in which this compares with the numbers exported in the same period in each of the years from 1997 to 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17670/00]

Last year was an excellent year for live exports. This year looks set to be even better. In the period from 1 January to 31 May 1999, more than 160,000 cattle were exported, compared with just over 53,000 in the same period in 1998 and 19,000 in the same period in 1997. I am pleased to be able to say that the figures this year look set to surpass even those for 1999. From 1 January 2000 to 31 May 2000, almost 218,000 live cattle have been exported. More than 180,000 of these were exported to high value EU markets and the remainder to the Lebanon.

There has been another positive development in recent weeks, with the culmination of lengthy, and sometimes difficult negotiations in relation to the re-opening of the Libyan market. In this regard, I spent a week in Tripoli last August, meeting the Libyan authorities on the specifics of a resumption in trade.

The Taoiseach also raised the matter with Colonel Gadaffi in Cairo in April, and my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, accompanied by a number of senior officials from my Department, reached a final agreement with the Libyan authorities on Friday, 9 June. Once the Libyan authorities open tenders and include Ireland as a potential supplier, it will be open to Irish exporters to bid for contracts under this process.

I welcome those figures for live exports and compliment the Minister on the massive work he has done during the past three years in regard to the live trade. It is important to have competition in the trade. For too long we were solely dependent on factories and we know how they treated the farmers. I also compliment the Taoiseach, the Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs—

A question, Deputy, please.

—on their marvellous work in regard to the Libyan market. When does the Minister expect shipments to Libya will commence? What type of cattle and numbers will be needed for that market? It is great to see that beef is more than a pound per lb once again.

Farmers and the trade generally deserve the best credit for the vibrancy of the live trade. From 1996 it was difficult due to the BSE problem which we have, even though it is only minimal, and we have only sporadic incidences. Nonetheless it is not easy to maintain our high animal health status and our farmers in the industry deserve tremendous credit for that. In relation to Libya specifically, a memorandum of understanding was signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and his counterpart in Libya to the effect that in future contracts, Ireland would be able to tender. The precise wording of it was, "The import of live cattle and beef will be according to Libyan standards which accord with the accepted OIE international standards". It was agreed that Ireland will forthwith be officially listed as a source country for all tenders opened by Libya for the supply of live cattle. In practice that means that—

There are limits on supplementary answers.

—Libya look for their contracts from about September of each year for the autumn and Christmas trade. I expect when those contracts are available Irish traders will be able to tender successfully for them.

I welcome the opening of the Libyan market and congratulate everybody involved, including the Minister, so long as it happens. This will be the third opening of that market. I hope it is all right this time and that we will be able to operate under its price regime. I hope there is an element of reality about it in regard to price and that we can deal with the Libyans. I welcome it with open arms. Any measure that helps to get animals out of the country is important. What I want is to get more animals out. Why is the Department not providing the licence for the ship at Rosslare, the Gulf Stream? It had been informed by the Minister's officials that it would get the permit. Everything seems to be in order on board. Yet, because of a frivolous matter it seems unable to get the licence. I have been informed by the proprietor—

That is a separate question.

It is about the export of cattle.

It is a specific matter.

If the licence is not granted a valuable independent shipping line will be lost and there will be a huge problem with our weanlings.

Like Deputy Connaughton, I welcome the likelihood of the re-opening of the Libyan market. I ask the Minister to ensure an announcement about sailing is not made unless the boats are actually signed up. Is the Minister conscious of the extraordinary number of high quality stores being exported and will this have implications for the trade at a later stage?

Does the Deputy want to stop them?

I have done everything possible, in so far as my responsibility extends, to facilitate the live trade. I have approved 17 dedicated vessels with a capacity of over 23,000 head per week. As well as that roll on-roll off, there are Irish Ferries and the European Pathfinder. They are capable of carrying significant numbers of calves and weanlings each week. With regard to the Francoise the Department and the marine inspectorate have gone out of their way to inspect that vessel and ensure it is available for carriage of additional livestock. Each of the cancellations was at the request of the owners of the ship, the most recent being in the past two days when the ship had an accident on its way out of Brest port and had to return to port. The inspection was cancelled.

We have exceeded the time limit on the question.

I have a final comment. In the European Council of Ministers there is increasing concern about animal welfare. I was in Luxembourg this week and a number of the Ministers who are members of the Green Party had a formal item on the agenda in relation to the transport of cattle.

The Francoise is as good a ship as any.

Absolutely. However, we wish to ensure that the ventilation, water, fodder and density of the cattle are right. That is in the best interest of the industry.

We must now deal with Question No. 10.

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