Vol. 525 No. 1
92 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a licence will be approved for a company (details supplied) to recommence the export of live cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23772/00]
93 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he has received all reports into the overturning of a cattle lorry on a ferry run by a company (details supplied); the conclusions drawn from the investigations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23773/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together.
The investigation by my Department into the incidents which occurred in the early hours of 10 October 2000 on the vessel MV Francoise en route to Brest, and which resulted in the deaths of a number of cattle being transported in cattle trucks on board, is at an advanced stage. In the meantime, the operators of the vessel have been advised that until further notice it may not carry livestock from Ireland.
The investigation has involved inspection by Department personnel and others of the vessel in Brest. In addition to the reports of these inspections and related inquiries, full reports were also sought from both the operators of the vessel and the relevant French authorities, who became involved when the vessel berthed in Brest. All these reports are now to hand and are being considered in their entirety by my Department. No firm conclusions can be drawn until this process has been completed.
Decisions as to whether and under what conditions this particular vessel may again be permitted to carry livestock from Ireland will be taken once my Department has reached its conclusions on the outcome to the investigation as a whole. I expect this to be within a matter of days.
