At a meeting of Agriculture Ministers in Luxembourg today, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Mr Joe Walsh TD, supported a Council resolution calling for the effective implementation and strict enforcement of existing animal transport legislation as well as new initiatives to improve animal welfare and to prevent the spread of infectious animal diseases. He also agreed in principle with calls by a number of Ministers that the rules in relation to the assembly, movement, identification and traceability of animals need to be reviewed. In particular, the Minister supported in principle proposals from the Netherlands for the improvement of rules in relation to the design, hygiene and administration of assembly centres.
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While supporting these initiatives, Minister Walsh said that account must be taken of the circumstances in which certain Member States find themselves solely as a result of their geographical location. Measures adopted by the Community must take every precaution against the spreading of disease, but must avoid placing barriers such as impracticable maximum journey durations or the prevention altogether of assembly of animals. These type of measures would, in effect, prevent certain Member States such as Ireland from participating in the trade of live animals or benefitting from the Single Market.
The Minister pointed out that the live animal trade is a major component of agricultural economics in Ireland and animal welfare rules were applied stringently. He made clear to the Council the importance of any measures, which are proposed to deal with concerns arising out of the Foot and Mouth crisis, allowing the continuance of this trade. Mr Walsh said that his primary objective was to have reasonable and practical conditions for the export of live animals based on the highest standards which would secure consumer confidence and acceptance by society in general.
