The call has been made, once again, for legislation to be brought forward that would make it a legal requirement for a vet to be present during live exports.

Live exports was just one of the topics debated this week during an animal-welfare motion brought before the Seanad by the Green Party, and supported by Fianna Fáíl.

The motion sought to highlight four areas to be addressed before the summer break: live exports, greyhound racing, exotic pets; and welfare of dogs.

In respect of live exports, the motion, moved by Senator Pauline O’Reilly, called on the government and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to: “Legislate for a minimum requirement that all shipments carrying live-animal exports to third countries carry a veterinarian on board, and to take immediate steps to vigorously pursue value-enhancing market avenues as an alternative to live exports.”

Minister McConalogue was represented during the motion debate by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Pippa Hackett.

Despite Green Party policy espousing an end to live exports outside of the EU, a pragmatic approach was being taken, and the motion was not calling for such a ban on this occasion, Senator O’Reilly explained.

This approach was led mainly due to the fact that support for such a ban would not be forthcoming from either Fianna Gael or Fianna Fáil.

Live exports

“I don’t think this [live exports] is an issue that most parties have agreed with us on, to be fair,” she said.

“It is Green Party policy to ban live exports outside of the EU, and that is on the grounds that animals are sentient beings. Animals are put on ships for sometimes days, almost two weeks, in some cases,” she said.

She said that many people don’t realise that there is no requirement for a vet to accompany animals being exported outside of the EU, to places like Libya, for example.

She claimed that:

“Many die on board, and when they get there, there are systems of slaughter in place that don’t do anything that we would think is humane in our country.

“They are going to different legislative environments and we can’t control that, and that is primarily the reason why the Green Party doesn’t want these animals going on these long journeys,” she said.

“But at the very least, if you could ensure that they had enough water, enough food, and that they had access to even the minimal standards of medical care, we could stand over it.

“It is just not possible to stand over that at the moment when there is no legal requirement to have a vet on board,” she said.

She called on Minister McConalogue to bring forward legislation that would make this possible.

While there might not be support for a ban on live exports, she told the Seanad, there would be support for “caring for animals because it is something that Irish people concern themselves with”.

Dropping some exports figures, the senator stated that in 2020, just over 491,000 pigs were exported, while the number for cattle exports in the same year was 265,000.

So far in 2022, 206,000 cattle have been exported, she said, adding: “So we are on our way to have a bumber year of exports and it is incumbent on the Oireachtas to make sure that the legislation is in place.”

No support for ban

Senator O’Reilly’s motion was seconded by Fianna Fáil senator Eugene Murphy, who wanted to make it very clear that he would never support a ban on live exports, but would support the availability of enhanced veterinary medical care on export ships.

“Because we have seen some incidents of things that were really upsetting, particularly young calves being sent abroad and suffering on board.

“I think every member of this house would agree nothing hurts the farming community as much as to see those images on television.

Farmers, he said, “really love and look after their animals”.

Importance of clarity

Senator Tim Lombard, from Fine Gael, called for greater clarity from the Green Party in relation to this topic and the use of statistics such as those quoted by Senator O’Reilly.

“A figure of 400,000 pigs was mentioned in regard to exports. The Minister of State might clarify that the information on the department website is that over 375,000 of those went to Northern Ireland for slaughter and did not leave the island. Even though they are down as exports, they did not go near any ship,” he said.

Minister Hackett was seen to nod in agreement at this point.

He also sought clarity on the information that was being put out about the duration of travel for calves.

“On the issue of unweaned live calves being moved, the Minister of State might elaborate on the 13-hour limit regarding feeding and how that is tied in. That is a very important statistic and, again, that piece of information is on the department’s website.

“Those issues need to be clarified because the public might get the idea that unweaned calves are spending weeks on a boat, and not 13 hours, which is a significant figure.”

Senator Victor Boyhan said that he, too, would not support a ban on live exports, and said that while he had concerns about live exports “we have to be pragmatic” as we “live in an economy with jobs.”

“I am in favour of veterinary technicians. I am not sure if we can afford highly paid professional vets but qualified veterinary technicians are an option, and that is important,” he said.

He also felt it was important to highlight that the Green Party, while they had the opportunity to do so, had not called for a ban on exports outside the EU.

Its a commitment

Minister Hackett reminded the Seanad that animal welfare did not fall under her remit, but said that the requirement for a vet to be on board a vessel for export outside the EU was a programme-for-government commitment.

“It has not quite been achieved yet. There have been one or two veterinarians on consignments but not the number there should have been,” she said.

“I reassure the house of the department’s commitment to introduce legislation to provide a legal basis requiring exporters shipping livestock on dedicated livestock vessels to third countries outside Europe to place a veterinarian on board.”

And she said her officials are currently working on a legislative proposal to this effect.