An IFA delegation met Irish Ferries this morning to discuss continued access to the common EU market for Live animals,
Following the decision of Brittany Ferries to no longer carry live animals Irish Ferries is the only Roll on-Roll off carrier transporting animals to the EU continent.
Irish Ferries confirmed to the IFA that will continue to offer this service for the foreseeable future.
IFA said that there were also other challenges to Live Exports in the courts and in Brussels which they are working on.
IFA applied to become a notice party in a Judicial Review taken by Ethical Farming Ireland against the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the High Court. This Judicial Review seeks to effectively stop Live Exports of animals from Ireland.
IFA applied to be a notice party in this case to ensure the voice of Irish farmers was represented in the court. The High Court accepted IFA as a notice party.
IFA have made significant submissions to the court. The case has now been referred for High Court mediation and IFA continue to participate in this as an official notice party.
Separately, there are EU proposals on animal transport regulations which could make the export of animals from Ireland impractical.
IFA has been lobbying at EU level on animal transport rules for decades through our permanent office in Brussels. We will continue to lobby the EU Commission and our MEPs to ensure that the EU transport rules continue to facilitate Ireland’s ability to export live animals under appropriate rules and regulations.
The current DAFM protocols on the export of Live animals go beyond the EU requirements and shipments are subject to regular inspections, which is as it should be.
