Ferry service ‘essential’ to livestock exports

FARMERS called on the Government at the national ploughing championships in Tullow, Co Carlow, yesterday, to ensure that Ireland continues to have a ferry service for live cattle exports which were worth an estimated €150 million last year.

It followed confirmation by the shipping group P&O that it is axing the Rosslare-Cherbourg route which currently services the Irish roll-on-roll-off (ro-ro) live export trade to continental Europe.

The move is part of an overall restructuring by the company with services between England and France being the hardest hit.

P&O said it hopes to have the programme largely in place by the middle of next year, but the proposals are subject to consultation with employees.

Some 85% of the 47,922 head of live cattle exports to continental Europe so far this year were carried by P&O on the Rosslare-Cherbourgh route.

IFA Livestock Committee chairman John Bryan said it was essential that Irish livestock farmers continue to have ferry access to the EU single market.

The live export trade out of Ireland is extremely important in terms of price competition and market outlets for the €1.5 billion beef sector.

It is the responsibility of the Minister for Agriculture and Food and the Government to guarantee ferry access to the EU single market for Irish livestock farmers and live cattle exports.

Mr Bryan said the live export trade involves the export of over 200,000 head of livestock to markets such as Spain, Italy, Holland and France. The live trade is highly regulated, with veterinary inspections and extremely high standards of animal welfare.

He said he was aware of a number of companies who were actively examining the purchase of the Rosslare-Cherbourgh route from P&O, all of whom had expressed a commitment to the live export trade.

ICMSA president Pat O’Rourke said the decision of P&O to exit the Rosslare service to continental Europe and to transfer the MV Diplomat to another route will once again totally disrupt live exports from Ireland to the continent. This issue reverts, once again, to the Government and must be the first item on the new minister’s priorities.

“I will be seeking an urgent meeting with the minister as it is vital that there is no break in the supply of cattle and that markets so hard won are kept for Irish cattle exporters,” he said.

Mr O’Rourke said the importance of the live trade cannot be overestimated and must be addressed once and for all by the Government.

“A reliable and comprehensive sea freight from Ireland to continental EU is a fundamental part of national infrastructure,” he said.