An IFA delegation met Irish Ferries last week to discuss continued access to the common EU market for live animals.
Following the decision of Brittany Ferries to no longer carry live animals, Irish Ferries is the only roll-on/roll-off carrier transporting animals to the EU.
Irish Ferries confirmed to the IFA that it will continue to offer this service for the foreseeable future.
The IFA said that there were other challenges to live exports in the courts and in Brussels, which the association was working on and it had applied to become a notice party in a judicial review taken by Ethical Farming Ireland against the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the High Court.
This judicial review seeks to effectively stop live exports of animals from Ireland. The IFA applied to be a notice party in this case to ensure the voice of Irish farmers was represented in the court. The High Court accepted the IFA as a notice party.
The IFA made significant submissions to the court. The case has now been referred for High Court mediation and the IFA continues to participate in this as an official notice party.
Transport regulations
Separately, there are EU proposals on animal transport regulations which the IFA believes could make the export of animals from Ireland impractical.
The IFA continues to lobby at EU level on animal transport rules through its permanent office in Brussels and will maintain contact with the EU Commission and Ireland’s MEPs to ensure that the EU transport rules allow the export of live animals under appropriate rules and regulations.
The current DAFM protocols on the export of live animals go beyond the EU requirements and shipments and are subject to regular inspections, as it should be, the IFA said.
Sunday 30 August
Tuesday 1 September
Wednesday 2 September
Thursday, 3 September
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