Danny Healy-Rae urges protection of dairy-bred bull calf exports
Danny Healy-Rae pressed the minister to safeguard the export of dairy bred bull calves, warning that restrictions could devastate the Irish beef and dairy industry. He also raised fisheries concerns and sought clarity on government engagement with EU fisheries officials.
Call to protect calf exports
So he asked the minister to ensure that dairy bred bull calves will continue to be exported, citing a newspaper report that environmentalists in Europe may try to stop the exportation of them.
Impact on Irish farming
He warned that stopping exports would be a disaster for the Irish beef and dairy industry, saying it would increase the stock of beef animals and destroy the farming situation entirely, and he stressed the logistical challenge for an island nation transporting animals by boat.
Fisheries talks with EU officials
He referenced fisheries issues raised in the debate and asked the minister to expand on whether fishermen had finished their points. The minister replied by outlining recent EU engagement on fisheries.
European engagement and family farms
The minister noted that European Commissioner Virginius Sienkiewicz visited Ireland in September for a two-day visit, went to Donegal with Minister Maconlogue, and met the Taoiseach. The Taoiseach also raised fisheries with Ursula von der Leyen, and the minister said the European Union has been a strong protector of family farms and will continue to be so under the Common Agricultural Policy.
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What I was just getting to Minister in the last section was to ask you to ensure that dairy bred bull calves will continue, that the exportation of them will continue, because there was an article in yesterday's paper that this may not happen and that Europe is, you know, that these environmentalists are trying to stop the export. I mean, that would be a disaster for the Irish beef and dairy industry, because it would increase the stock of beef animals and to destroy the farming situation entirely. So I'm appealing to ensure to fight for the continuation of the export of dairy bred bull calves, indeed all bull calves are the export, because we are an island nation and it takes so long to get out of the country by boat or whatever. So I'm asking, please, and just when I raised about the fisheries debate, you shook your head when I asked if the fishermen finished, you might expand on that part when it would not do your head. Thank you, Deputy. Thanks. And I'll take the opportunity just to answer the fisheries issues raised by a number of deputies here today, and that's very welcome. I know that the European Commissioner, Virginius Sienkiewicz, who's responsible for fisheries, he visited Ireland in September for a two-day visit. He went to Donegal with Minister Maconlogue. He has met the Taoiseach. He is left in no doubt about Ireland's views on the issue of fisheries and the concerns that we have about quota, about our share, which are shared by government. The Taoiseach also raised this with Ursula von der Leyen when he met her, and we have ongoing contact in relation to fisheries with the European Union. This is a very, very important subject, and Minister Maconlogue will continue engagements in relation to that. In relation to the export of animals, that wasn't directly discussed at the European Council, but safe to say, the European Union has been the strongest protector of family farms that we have seen, really, in world history, and will continue to be so under the Common Agricultural Policy.
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