Strict new EU animal transport regulations announced in Brussels yesterday by Mr David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, will increase animal transport costs by 20 per cent, he said.
Mr Byrne said his proposal where animals would face a maximum nine-hour travel period followed by 12 hours of rest, with the possibility of continuing the long-distance journey, took account of polarised views among member-states
The announcement was described as very detrimental to live trade in Ireland by the Irish Farmers' Association which called a meeting of exporters for tomorrow to discuss plans to defend the live export trade. Mr Derek Deane, chairman of IFA's national livestock committee, said the stricter rules would be extremely damaging to Ireland and would severely restrict our access to the EU single market for live cattle.
The IFA livestock leader said the travel proposals made no sense from an animal welfare perspective.
Nine countries favour an eight-hour time limit but five southern states, including Ireland, say such a restriction would destroy their meat industry. The five states argue that tougher enforcement of the rules, better vehicles and training of animal handlers will stop animals suffering, not time limits. The Irish live exporters and the farm organisations fear that they could be prevented from exporting animals to mainland Europe because of the new regulations.
Mr Byrne said the status quo on animal transport was not acceptable and citizens wanted animals to be treated in a dignified manner.
He estimated that the new regulations, to be discussed in October by the farm ministers, would increase animal transport costs by 20 per cent.
"Many people want the trade to cease. The provisions we're bringing forward, with a small increase in cost, will allow the trade to continue into the future," he said. However, animal welfare campaigners criticised the proposal for failing to impose an eight-hour time limit on long-distance journeys. "We have accumulated a mountain of evidence of animals suffering during long journeys," said Mr David Wilkins, head of the Eurogroup for Animal Welfare.
"The only practical solution is to apply an absolute limit of eight hours on all road journeys," he said
The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, said the proposals had the potential to impose additional costs on live exports from Ireland and on transport generally.
However, in a statement he said he was fully committed to ensuring our access to continental and third country markets would be maintained, while protecting animal welfare.