Martin Ferris
Ceist:215 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason 30 cattle belonging to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan have not been replaced. [18716/03]
Written Answers. - Loss of Cattle.
Following the imposition of the EU-wide ban on the exportation of cattle from the UK in March 1996, Ireland introduced a ban on the importation of such cattle. It is absolutely imperative from the perspective of protecting the animal health status of this country that all necessary measures are taken to enforce this ban, which is still in place.
The 30 cattle to which the Deputy refers were seized on a farm in County Cavan on 25 May 1996. They had been observed by the Garda Síochána crossing the Border from Northern Ireland. As these animals were imported into this country in contravention of the national and EU rules with regard to the intra-community trade in cattle, they represented a serious threat to the health status of the national herd.
In cases where my Department is not satisfied as to the origin or identification of animals, they are detained pending investigation. Where the origin and/or identification cannot be verified, or where it can be established that the animals have been imported in contravention of EU law, the animals are destroyed without the payment of compensation.
With regard to the second named person, my Department has no record of any animals belonging to such a person being seized under similar circumstances. In any event compensation for the slaughter and destruction of illegally imported animals is not payable under any circumstances.