What we are asking for is political direction and that the Department would be more favourable in helping the exporter to upgrade his premises. We are not asking for rules to be changed or broken. We just want to upgrade our yards to allow me get my cattle checked in Sligo and Hubert Maxwell can get his checked in Roscommon or wherever. It is ridiculous that we have to go to Dublin. Both of us check our cattle. Mr. Lenihan has an export premises in Dublin. His yards have been limited by the Department this year compared to last year. Up to mid-summer last year he could do eight or nine loads of cattle every morning without any problem but the Department then introduced different rules which meant he could only do two or three loads of calves or perhaps a load of weanlings. That is more curbing and we do not understand that change of direction by the Department. We ask politicians to direct the Department to be more encouraging and to facilitate exporters in running their businesses.
From Frank Lenihan's point of view, nine or ten lorry loads of cattle could have been checked any morning before shipping. What has changed in the Department for its officials to limit such checking to two, three or four lorry loads of cattle? What is the explanation for that? It is difficult to understand the reason for the change. We have to transport cattle to Dublin a day earlier than planned for inspection if the number of lorry loads involved exceeds four or five. That is another problem we have and it involves further expense. From our point of view, it is important to ensure cattle arrive in a fresh condition on the Continent. We do not get a penny for the cattle until they arrive there and they must arrive in good condition. It is in our interests as well as in the interests of everybody else concerned that this process is done correctly and that the cattle arrive in a fresh condition. One of our requests is for Department officials to inspect the yards, ascertain what improvements must be made and allow us to make them. The Department's position was that it had no staff available for this purpose. Department officials are wondering what jobs they will have next January. The two answers being given in this regard are not the same because obviously there is staff available.
The Department has passed a few lairages in recent weeks or months. We want to be facilitated. We will comply with the regulations. We request the Department to have a different outlook on this service and to provide it to exporters wherever they may be. We live within the rules and all we ask is for fair play. Many vets may not like a Deputy calling them and pointing out that he or she wants something done, but some influence will have to be exerted by politicians to maintain the viability of this export business.
Everyone is worried about the mid-term review and how it will affect our cattle trade. It will affect it in two ways. If we are competitive in the European market, we will be able to deliver cattle, but if we are not, we will not be able to do so. With the accession of the new countries to the Union, we will face new challenges. Therefore, it is important that we get our own house in order, that we are able to export cattle in as fresh a condition as possible and that we have the most up-to-date lorries in Europe and elsewhere. That would be in the Department's interests. If a farmer does not get a good price for his animal in the mart, he will stop producing because he has entitlements now and does not have to produce them. If this business is to last, marts and those in the countryside will depend on cattle production, as they did a few years ago. The bottom line is the price. If we can produce cattle at a price, we will be competitive, the farmer will stay in business and we will be able to sell our cattle in Europe.