Three vessels are in the process of being approved for exporting livestock abroad from Irish ports, according to the Department of Agriculture. They are all at various different stages of the approval process, but if they succeed this will double the total number of ships transporting Irish cattle abroad to six.
Ireland currently has three approved ships for the carriage of livestock by sea from Irish ports. The three ships are all roll-on/roll-off vessels (RORO) which allow cargo to be driven on and off the ship when it is in port as opposed to lift-on/lift-off, which require the use of a crane.
Increase in live exports expected
Live exports to all markets in 2015 amounted to almost 180,000 head.
"Geopolitical instability in North Africa, a new veterinary regime in relation to IBR in Belgium and increased domestic prices led to a reduction in live exports," said Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney in reply to parliamentary questions. "Exports to Northern Ireland, the Netherlands and France rose, while exports to Belgium, Italy, Spain and Britain declined."
It is expected that 2016 will see an increase in the export of live cattle
Despite lower live cattle exports in 2015, there will be an upturn this year according to Joe McHugh, Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Bord Bia forecasts that this will be driven by improving economies in some of our major export markets and disease outbreaks in certain supplier regions.
“It is expected that 2016 will see an increase in the export of live cattle due to the improving economic situations in other countries, such as Italy and Spain, which have traditionally provided an outlet for the export of Irish cattle,” McHugh told the Seanad.
Markets
The markets currently open to live cattle from Ireland are Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Russia and Tunisia, in addition to the other 27 member states of the EU. Minister Coveney said that responsibility for exploiting market outlets following market access is a commercial matter for the live export sector. He is anxious that Irish meat and livestock producers have the option of exporting to as many global markets as possible.
"My Department is currently investigating the possibilities for agreeing bilateral health certificates for the export of fattening and slaughter cattle to Egypt and Algeria and breeding cattle to Kazakhstan, Morocco, Algeria and Turkey," said Minister Coveney.