Kelleher asks minister to clarify ‘misinformation’ on Irish live export trade

FIANNA Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has said Dutch calls to limit sea journey times for animal transport would cripple Ireland’s live export trade.

Mr Kelleher has written to Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to highlight what the Irish MEP called ‘the level of misinformation being spread in the Netherlands about the transport of Irish calves into that country’.

This followed debate in the Dutch parliament between the Dutch agriculture minister, Piet Adema, and a leader of a party which advocates for stronger animal rights.

‘The Dutch minister seems to be in favour of an eight-hour max journey time for all animals, which would include time spent stationary on a ship at sea. This conflicts with the proposal from the European Commission late last year, which gave an explicit exemption from any journey time limit for transport by sea,’ said Mr Kelleher.

In December the European Commission tabled stricter rules on animal transport to tighten up the existing 2005 Animal Transport Regulation.

‘The Commission’s proposals, as a starting point, will increase standards even more.

‘We will see a higher minimum age for transport, requirements for improved feeding and hydration systems and increased veterinary inspections. This is something I can support,’ said Mr Kelleher.

‘However, the eight-hour max journey time proposal is not acceptable to me, and I will vigorously oppose it if I am re-elected to the European Parliament this June.

‘The ability for Ireland to export live animals into the European Single Market is an absolute necessity for our agricultural
communities.’

Mr Kelleher has asked Minister McConalogue to contact the Dutch agriculture minister directly to outline Ireland’s commitment to animal
welfare.

‘Ireland is in no way a poor enforcer of the 2005 Animal Transport Regulation. During my work on the Committee of Inquiry into Animal Transport, it was noted repeatedly that in many respects Ireland is top of the class in terms of inspections and enforcement.’