The decision by Brittany Ferries to cease the transport of livestock from Rosslare to Cherbourg has the potential to cause difficulties for the industry, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has said.
He highlighted that that he is keenly aware of the vital role that live exports play in stimulating price competition and providing an alternative market outlet for farmers.
Despite the transport of live animals being a private commercial activity, Minister Heydon said that his Department is “ready to assess and approve vessels that might be made available for transport of livestock out of Ireland”.
The Minister said that he was informed on 4 August by Brittany Ferries of the decision, which they explained was based on operational issues.
Some 225,000 bovines were exported from Ireland up to 26 July 2026.
Animal welfare
The Minister emphasised the high standards of animal welfare Ireland demands, including during transport, which often go beyond the minimum requirements of EU law, such as providing extra space for calves, more frequent driver retraining and temperature control.
He said that independent data on the health and welfare of Irish calves in Dutch veal production systems indicates they have significantly lower mortality and lower antibiotic usage, suggesting that they arrive in good condition.
Last year, the Department of Agriculture provided €1.5m in funding to Teagasc to develop an in-transport feeding system to enhance the welfare of un-weaned calves transported to Europe. A prototype of this system should be available in 2026, according to the Minister.
Minister Heydon encouraged all stakeholders to work on a collaborative approach with a view to addressing this issue.
SHARING OPTIONS