EU urged to provide guarantee to Irish livestock exporters
An Irish MEP has urged the EU to provide a guarantee to Irish livestock exporters that they will continue to have full access to the Single Market as they discuss animal welfare concerns in Brussels.
MEP Maria Walsh raised Irish concerns during a debate in the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee amidst a revision of live animal transport rules.
The committee debate included consideration of ending the transportation of live animals by sea, with obvious implications for Ireland.
The North West and Midlands MEP is a member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, said:
Speaking to the Celt from the airport in Brussels Ms Walsh said that what is being “floated around” would hit the movement of live animals from Ireland, as the time spent in transit across seas would count in considering transport time restrictions.
“We have a fight on our hands to ensure that our derogation is protected in the transportatin of animals. Right now sea times are not included in the live anmal transport - if that is removed that will ultimately cost us millions, and be missed in the back pocket of farmers right across the constituency.”
Ms Walsh noted that in 2024, the value of live exports in Ireland was estimated at €340 million, an increase of 30% compared to 2023 levels, with cattle exports accounting for 75% of the total value.
Noting the global politcal turbulence she insists: “We need clarity on this text.
“Access to the single market must be protected - that is the lifeblood to the 450million citizens we have. Any changes to that simply cannot happen.”
She doesn't expect any legislative developments until the end of this year.
Ms Walsh is lobbying on the issue and is inviting the EPP rapporteur, Daniel Buda, vice-chair of Agriculture and Rural Development to Ireland “so he can see first hand the importance of live exports to Ireland”.
She notes tthe debate is fuelled by animal welfare concerns, an issue brought to Irish attention last year by RTÉ's Primtime.
“As I explained to a Green colleague of mine yesterday, first of all there's cowboys and a hell of a lot of angels in every industry. If this text is to weed out the cowboys and cowgirls, then absolutely that's fine. We have to make sure standards are in place that nothing falls through the cracks, like what people saw last year in the harrowing and real Primetime Investigates piece. But we can't do that to penalise everybody to fix a small minority.”
She observed that ending the transportation of live animals by sea would be “detrimental to our livestock industry”.
“Over the coming weeks, I will be tabling amendments in the Agriculture Committee to ensure our farmers receive the protections they need and deserve,” she said.