November 6th 1999

Review of EU sheep meat regime begins

By Paul Mooney

GARDAI arrested IFA's Limerick chairman Richard Kennedy on Tuesday during an IFA protest over New Zealand lamb.

Meanwhile, the EU Commission's review of its sheepmeat regime is to examine how the regime operates in the UK, Spain and France and ``possibly'' in Ireland. IFA has urged the consultancy firm involved to visit Ireland and include this country in its evaluation. The firm, SAC, asked IFA for help in reviewing the operation of the sheepmeat regime here, for a copy of the Sheepmeat Forum report and for contact names in the Department. ``As Ireland is such an important player on the EU sheep meat market I think it is important to gather information from Ireland,'' a representative told IFA in a recent letter.

SAC is carrying out the evaluation along with partner firms in Spain and France and the UK's MLC. The entire review has been allocated just £39,000 by the EU Commission.

It will focus on the adequacy of the ewe premium in maintaining incomes; its distribution among regions and farms; its complexity; effectiveness in promoting quality and aiding farmers react to market signals and the entire regime's effect on the environment. The rural world premium will be reviewed.

Tuesday's protest by Clare and Limerick farmers outside Maher's butcher shop in Limerick city was part of an IFA campaign against imports. Richard Kennedy said that with Irish lamb prices on the floor it was unacceptable that retailers, restaurants, hotels and the food service sector would sell New Zealand imports.

An IFA delegation lobbied Dail deputies in Dublin ahead of Tuesday evening's Dail debate on agriculture. Frank Corcoran urged Minister Joe Walsh to implement the Sheep Forum recommendations.