Marts ‘threatened by road rules’

NEW animal transport rules, due to be introduced in the near future, will threaten the viability of local livestock marts, Fine Gael claimed yesterday.

The regulations are designed to improve the welfare of animals being transported within member states and throughout the European Union.

Fine Gael agriculture spokesman Denis Naughten said the EU rules will mean that all hauliers, including farmers, who transport animals over 40 miles, will have to be licensed by the Department of Agriculture and Food and undergo a competency course.

He said this will have a serious impact on local marts. It will restrict the number of people who transport animals to and from marts and force some farmers out of the practice of transporting their animals.

“Furthermore, it will push up transport costs to marts and meat factories and damage the economic backbone of rural towns with marts,” he said.

Mr Naughten said Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan was clearly unaware of the implications when she signed up to the new regulations in December 2004.

He said the minister informed his colleague Seymour Crawford, TD, in the Dáil shortly afterwards that the changes affecting those who drive more than 50km but for less than eight hours will be minimal.

But he said, the minister told him the regulation requires those moving live animals on journeys over 65km to be authorised by her department.