The Department of Agriculture has banned the Cimbria livestock vessel from shipping Irish cattle on long-haul trips. However, it has been licensed to carry cattle on short voyages.
Waterford Port was picketed by Compassion in World Farming activists last week because the ship, on which 77 animals died in 1995 during storms in the Bay of Biscay, was seeking a licence to resume transporting animals.
A Department of Agriculture spokesman said an assessment was made under the new, strict 1996 regulations, following an examination by the Department and marine inspectors. He added: "Our job is to protect the live trade and with that the welfare of animals and we are doing this. She will not be carrying cattle on long trips but on voyages to western Europe."
Last night Compassion in World Farming welcomed the Department's decision not to allow the vessel to carry cattle to the Lebanon, but added that it wanted a ban on it operating on short journeys within the EU. "If she is allowed carry cattle to Spain, she will still have to travel through the Bay of Biscay, where 77 animals she was carrying in 1995 died when the boat hit stormy weather."
It called on the Minister to send "this death ship" away empty and never allow the Cimbria to sail from Ireland again.
Some 180,000 cattle, mainly young animals, were exported live from Ireland last year. Most went to the Continent as breeding stock.