Independent European election candidate Eddie Punch has said that live exports to the EU are “vital” for Irish farming and must be protected “vigorously”.
The former general secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) said that a proposal for an eight-hour maximum journey time including time spent on the boat does “not align with any scientific evidence”.
“In my time in ICSA I have been involved in various debates at EU level as far back as 2005 and it was always agreed that travel time on a boat, where the calves are stationary, would not be included.
“This is because a stationary lorry with proper bedding, feed and water is no different from having the calves in a calf shed,” he said.
The Ireland South election candidate said that he has engaged with various MEPs, including those on the EU committee of inquiry on animal transport (ANIT) on the matter in recent years.
“The key issue was not the need for more and more draconian legislation, some of which would have been actually bad for animal welfare, but the need to enforce existing regulations.
“In general, the standard of vehicle used by live exporters in Ireland is exemplary, due to huge investments by hauliers in top of the range animal transport lorries.
“As is increasingly the case in Brussels, much of debate was led by people who were totally detached from the reality of farming in practice,” he said.
Live exports
The comments come as Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher said he is “deeply concerned” at the level of “misinformation” being spread in the Netherlands about Irish calf imports into the country.
The MEP was commenting after Agriland reported on a debate between the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Piet Adema and the leader of the Party for the Animals, Esther Ouwehand on the import of Irish calves.
Minister Adema said the growing calf trade from Ireland to the Netherlands “does not fit with his commitment” to ban long-distance transport (8 hours) for young unweaned animals.
Kelleher, who is a member of ANIT, has written to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue on the issue.
Eddie Punch said that he fully supports the position taken by MEP Kelleher and stressed the importance of “electing knowledgeable MEPs to debate these issues”.
“The reality is that live exports are never far from the agenda at EU level, and that’s why its vital that we elect as many pro-farming MEPs as possible from Ireland who understand the broad considerations of any changes to the EU regulations.
“There are five seats in the South constituency and farmers need to make sure that all of them are occupied by sensible candidates who realise just how important agriculture is to Ireland,” he said.