Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 June 2022
227. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and frequency of live sheep exports from Ireland in 2019, 2020, and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34824/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe intra-EU movement of animals is recorded on the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), which is the EU-wide online management tool for all sanitary and phytosanitary requirements on intra-EU trade and importation of animals, semen and embryo, food, feed and plants.
My Department uses the TRACES system to record all sheep movements in terms of both imports and exports for the purposes of slaughter, breeding and fattening between Ireland and all other jurisdictions.
The total numbers of live sheep exported from Ireland for the years 2019– 2021 are listed below:
2019 - 7,161
2020 - 27,963
2021- 19,618
Live sheep exports occur throughout the year, however the majority of exports occur in July/August due to the seasonality of production.
