Rest for truck drivers, but not for animals

THE European Parliament’s vote recently to impose more stringent controls on live exports is to be welcomed, if only because any improvement in the welfare of farm animals is better than none.

However, this is nothing more than the usual EU fudge.

The transport of live farm animals across countries, continents and oceans is the antithesis of sound animal welfare.

Reducing the time an animal can be transported within the EU to nine hours before it is legally entitled to a rest period of 12 hours apparently is a big improvement on the current situation whereby animals can be transported non-stop however long the journey.

Unfortunately, what the proposals give with one hand they take away with another by allowing transporters to leave the animals on the truck for the 12-hour rest period.

Some rest that will be for the unfortunate animals, while the driver enjoys a leisurely 12-hour break.

Once again, an opportunity to end this horrid trade has been squandered, mainly due to the incessant lobbying of EU farming interests, none more vocal than Irish cattle exporters.

Gerry Boland,

Keadue,

Co Roscommon.