Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 November 2009
46 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps he is taking to ensure that live cattle exported to England will be slaughtered in all processing plants in England. [43631/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe live export trade is an important component of our meat and livestock industry and provides a complement to the beef trade. To date this year, this trade has been exceptionally strong with exports to the United Kingdom alone up by more than 250% on the same period in 2008:
|
Destination |
1 January-15 November 2009 |
1 January-15 November 2008 |
|
Northern Ireland |
72,249 |
30,146 |
|
Great Britain |
9,311 |
1,808 |
|
United Kingdom |
81,560 |
31,954 |
While the purchasing policy of UK meat plants is a commercial decision for those plants my Department and Bord Bia continue to work closely with the industry in monitoring and developing emerging opportunities for Irish livestock in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. This includes contact with processors and retailers in Britain to establish their interest in live Irish exports and cattle born in Ireland and finished in Britain.
