THE Government's handling of the beef export deal with Russia was "endorsed" in a Dail vote. A Fianna Fail motion condemning the Minister for Agriculture for agreeing to the "arbitrary" ban on the export of beef from Cork, Tipperary and Monaghan was defeated by 72 votes to 58.
Mr Brian Cowen, Fianna Fail, spokesman on agriculture, said the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, had stated at Question Time earlier that he "never said that I was in Dublin Airport on Saturday morning when the deal was done with the Russians." That was totally contrary to what he said on RTE the previous Saturday, when he claimed he did the deal personally at the airport.
In the course of answering a question on the programme, Mr Yates had said, "before I did a deal with the Russians last Saturday at 1 p.m. in the VIP lounge in, Dublin Airport. . .. If the Minister, had not been at the airport then he, had made no effort to correct himself on the programme or in the 11 days since the programme was broadcast.
Asked about the infamous gun that was held to his head, the Minister now described the gun as being "metaphorically" held only.
Mr Yates was now on the record as promising that he would retrieve the Russian situation. "I find it extraordinary that the Minister launched his onslaught on Russian confidence by speculating in the Seanad yesterday that BSE could treble between now and the end of the year. This speculation from the Minister was outrageously irresponsible and has no scientific basis.
"Before going to Russia, in his own words to retrieve the situation, the Minister has cut the ground from under himself before he goes anywhere. What are consumers to make of this example of crystal ball gazing?"
Mr Des O'Malley (PD, Limerick East) said there had been a failure to recognise the primacy of public human health in the affair. That was all the more surprising given that there was a parallel debate on the activities of the Blood Transfusion Board and the huge public health problem that had arisen from the use of contaminated anti D.
"If BSE were some obscure bovine disease and nothing more, this country would not have become remotely as agitated."
Animal health should be a matter of great importance to all of us. The island of Ireland should be able to protect itself from a wide variety of animal diseases that were often endemic in the remainder of the world. The responsibility lay with the Department of Agriculture but its approach, particularly in more recent years, was cavalier to say the least.
"Forgery of official documents, not always by private individuals, is becoming an increasing feature in this field. The sale of blank official Irish animal health certificates to people in the trade at home and abroad should be a matter of huge concern.
For far too long many of our processors had ignored the development of a relationship with the supermarket chains of Britain and Europe, where top prices were paid for top quality. They only wanted to accept "the quick buck" wherever they could find it.
"I believe we still have time to put our mistakes of the past behind us if we establish a proper food inspection board here which inspects all beef leaving the country and all beef consumed within the country and operates independently of the Department of Agriculture, whose credibility is now so severely dented."
Mr Michael Creed (FG, Cork North West) said more damage had been inflicted on the Irish beef sector in the past two weeks by hysterical comments from Fianna Fail and the Irish Farmers' Association than by any decisions taken regarding the Russian market.
"Not a single constructive suggestion has come from the Opposition in this debate.
Ms Kathleen Lynch (DL, Cork North Central) said she had every sympathy with the vast majority of honest farmers who were trying to cope with the effects of a crisis not of their own making. "There can be few worse experiences for a cattle farmer than to discover that his herd, through no fault of his own, has been infected with BSE, and those farmers are entitled toe all the support which we can give them."
The Russian ban did not arise out of a vacuum. "It arose because Russian consumers were concerned about the safety of the food, they place on their tables, and in that they are no different from, Irish consumers. Were the situation reversed, and Irish consumers were concerned about the safety of beef imports, I have no doubt that the Government would act on behalf of consumers and err on the side of caution."
The time had come for farmers to examine their own record and put in place an "honest farming" policy which would do more to maintain confidence in the beef industry than any action taken by the State.
Mr Ned O'Keeffe (FF, Cork East) accused the Minister of complacency. He had promised a £2 million campaign to restore the beef market. All he had provided was £200,000 which was "ripped off by the press and television in this country".
Dr Rory O'Hanlon (FE, Cavan Monaghan) said the Minister had "stabbed in the back" the farmers of Monaghan by allowing Russian discrimination against them. He had made a "total blunder" of the situation. The Taoiseach and Tanaiste should be abroad, reassuring beef buyers about the quality of our product.
Mr Dan Wallace (FE, Cork North Central) said the Minister had turned "what was a clear victory for the quality of health care in the Irish cattle industry into what has all the markings of a disaster of the highest proportions".
Mr Pat Upton (Lab, Dublin South Central) said the Irish Farmers Association and Fianna Fail needed "to get up to speed. We are now in a world where the consumer is king and that is the way it should be". There was no use blaming the Minister for Agriculture when the Russians said no to Irish beef from three counties. They were entitled to do so and we must accept that. The Minister could not force the Russians to eat Irish beef.