It is my policy and that of the Government to ensure that Irish livestock or beef exporters have unrestricted access to EU and world markets. To achieve that goal, my Department ensures that the animal health, welfare and other conditions necessary to facilitate the live export trade are fully in place.
Ireland exported 220,000 animals in 2003, of which 143,000 were exported to the EU and 37,000 to Lebanon. Currently the main markets for live cattle are Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, Belgium, Portugal and Lebanon, and I believe the trade is operating satisfactorily.
With regard to live cattle exports to Egypt, the position is that a ban exists on all EU live cattle imports. Proposals for a trial shipment of live cattle from Ireland were submitted to the Egyptian authorities in 1997, but those proposals were not implemented. The lack of a market for live cattle exports to Egypt had been, however, more than offset by the volume of trade in beef exports to that country in the period up to 2001. The Egyptian market was re-opened to imports of Irish beef in late 2001 following an intensive political, technical and diplomatic campaign. Resumption of trade in commercial volumes had been hampered by conditions imposed by the Egyptian authorities on the type of cuts eligible for that market. Agreement was reached with the Egyptian authorities last September on the removal of those conditions and on new certification arrangements which now allow for a resumption in trade. An additional export refund of 30% over the normal rate was negotiated by Ireland regarding trade with Egypt. The extent to which the Egyptian market will take volumes of beef will depend on commercial decisions by exporters.
An agreement signed with Libya in June 2000 provided that Ireland would be officially listed as a source country for all Libyan tenders for the supply of live cattle. Since then, however, the Libyan Foreign Minister indicated that it had not been possible to import live cattle because of what he called logistical problems and that Libya would buy beef directly. Libya subsequently issued tenders for the supply of beef, and Ireland was included in the list of countries invited to tender. I understand that several Irish companies submitted bids at that time. Efforts at diplomatic and technical level are continuing to ensure that the agreement signed with Libya, in so far as it relates to cattle exports, is fully implemented.