There is a strong likelihood that additional capacity at Cherbourg lairages can be obtained in time for spring 2020, according to stakeholders who visited France this week.

Lairage owners were met by a joint delegation from the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) and the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS).

The delegation met with lairage operators Jean Luc Pignet and owners of the Qualivia lairage Robert and Valerie Drique to review their experience of spring 2019. The feasibility of making additional capacity available for the coming spring was also assessed.

The three groups said if the additional capacity is obtained it should be adequate “to eliminate capacity-related problems during the busy spring period”.

Co-ordination

In a statement they said: “The ability to use this increased capacity will require a co-ordinated approach by exporters to bookings with ferry companies and the lairage operators.

“The capacity on farms to hold calves for a little longer when they cannot travel due to weather issues will also be needed.”

IFA, ICMSA AND ICOS intend to meet with the Department of Agriculture to convey the message at the earliest opportunity. They said it was “imperative that the Department regulate and take ownership of this issue”.

The delegation that travelled to Cherbourg consisted of IFA dairy chair Tom Phelan, ICOS mart chair Liam Williams, as well as IFA, ICOS and ICMSA executives, respectively, Catherine Lascurettes, Ray Doyle and Aine O’Connell.

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