Madam, - Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) welcomes the current review of EU animal transport legislation.
However, we are deeply disappointed that the latest European Commission proposals do not include any limit on total journey time and therefore fail to address the core problem of animal transport, i.e. the sheer length of the journeys.
CIWF is calling for a total journey time limit of eight hours. This would mean that animals would have to reach their final destination, whether ia slaughterhouse or fattening farm, in a maximum of eight hours.
This view is already supported by the European Parliament and nine EU member-states (though not Ireland).
There is still plenty of time for debate on this issue as the Commission's proposals are unlikely to become law until 2005, and only then if they are approved by the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers.
It will be many more years before another such review takes place; therefore it is vital that this opportunity to rid Europe of the blight of long-distance transport of animals is grasped now. - Yours etc.,
MARY-ANNE BARTLETT, Director, Compassion in World Farming, Salmon Weir, Hanover Street, Cork.