Athlone meeting seeks restoration of livestock shipping capacity

by David Flynn

A well-attended public meeting in Athlone on Saturday night ended with a show of hands in favour of Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly and TD Michael Fitzmaurice holding discussions with Irish Ferries about their future live export plans and then reporting back with an update.

Independent Ireland had convened last Saturday evening's meeting in the Athlone Springs Hotel following recent disruption to the country's live export trade arising from Brittany Ferries' decision to cease live animal exports from Rosslare to France.

Deputy Fitzmaurice and Ciaran Mullooly told the gathering in Monksland that the Brittany Ferries' CEO told them protests by roughly 20–25 animal rights activists at Portsmouth in the UK had been a principal factor in the company's decision.

However, they also said Brittany Ferries might reconsider, and that the company’s CEO was prepared to review the decision if circumstances changed, particularly concerning security and disruption at Portsmouth.

The meeting also heard there was a greater threat to the industry over whether Irish Ferries could increase its livestock capacity and questioned what the industry could do if another operator entered the market.

"Next Friday at 1pm we’ll be meeting Eamon Rothwell and Andrew Sheen of Irish Ferries, and we will raise these issues with regard to their capacity, and what other options are available," said the MEP.

He said that Independent Ireland would then personally contact each of the exporters who turned up at Saturday's gathering to let them know the results of the Irish Ferries meeting.

"We have to have numbers on this, so I’m appealing to farm organisations to go back to your committees.

“We want you to come forward and come on board as a united live export stakeholders group with us," said Mr Mullooly.

"We’re not going to go in and say to (Irish Ferries) that some of our exporters agree and some don’t agree, that’s a waste of time. We have to be united. It has worked in the past and it will work again."

Along with the Midlands-North West MEP, the meeting heard from exporters from all over the country, as well as Independent Ireland leader, Deputy Michael Collins and party TDs Richard O’Donoghue and Michael Fitzmaurice.

Deputy Fitzmaurice told the meeting he and Ciaran Mullooly recently met with the CEO of Brittney Ferries.

"While I don’t agree with his decision, he was a pretty reasonable person to talk to," he said. "He made it very clear that their main port is Portsmouth and their business has been affected by 25 people and that the police in the UK did not help him."

The Roscommon-Galway TD went on to say he would "report back to everyone" following Friday's meeting with Irish Ferries.

"Next Spring, regardless of what Irish Ferries carry, there is 250,000 calves to be moved out of the country and basically you need more boats for that. Farming organisations are important in this, and Government, and I will be clear; We need to put on the Irish jersey together on this. We have to have the access to get cattle out of the country, or no-one will have a business."

Lorcan O’Dochartaigh, trade representative with the Irish Livestock Exporters Association, told the meeting it was important to continue the connection with Irish Ferries and maintain the structures and initiatives in place overprevious years.

"We need to maintain the business relationships that we've built over the years and continue to further new markets in terms of livestock and structural growth. As long as we keep that going, livestock exports (will be) stronger than activists," said Mr O’Dochartaigh.

The sole female voice to address the room was Jackie Flannery, spokesperson of the Irish Rural Association. She thanked Independent Ireland for holding the meeting and said that "NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) are coming after Rural Ireland, and so are NGOs that are in the UK.

"This is really one of the serious problems that Irish agriculture faces. There are some big people behind these NGOs in this country. We have said it in relation to environmental issues and it's not acceptable," said the Rural Association PRO.

"There's too much money of taxpayers being put into these NGOs and that is one thing that has to be addressed as a matter of urgency."

Longford Fine Gael Senator Paraic Brady, who is a spokesperson in the Seanad on Agriculture, said he was a farmer and that it was important the sector didn’t leave itself open to having "one market, which is the factory market".

"Regarding the solution for this, there’s two areas that have been closed and they need to be opened," said Senator Brady. "What is called for is unity. Exporters, it’s your livelihoods and your business, and it’s also every other farmer's business. If you don’t operate, we don’t operate."

With Irish Ferries expected to be sold, he said the biggest concern he had is about who buys it.

"Who purchases that company - that’s my concern after next Friday," said the Senator. "In fairness to Michael and Ciaran, we have to get assurances that there won’t be changes on Irish Ferries from the new company that purchases it."

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent after the meeting, Ciaran Mullooly said the campaign will be seeking the full retention of the shipping capacity and licences required to export Irish livestock to mainland Europe.

"A meeting will take place directly with the Minister and the Department of Agriculture to seek implementation of the united live export stakeholders action plan," said the MEP.

He also said that Teagasc will be asked to liaise directly with the livestock export sector on new technologies and innovations capable of further enhancing animal welfare and the comfort of livestock during transport - and publish the results of its research in this area.

"Continued engagement will take place with Government, ferry operators and the European institutions to ensure adequate maritime capacity remains available to the sector," said Mr Mullooly.

"Our farmers and exporters have a right to compete for customers throughout the EU Single Market, and that right must be matched by practical access to those markets.

"The industry must continue to embrace technology and innovation that improves conditions for livestock in transit," he said.

"But the fundamental issue remains unchanged. Irish farmers cannot participate fully in the European Single Market unless there is sufficient maritime capacity to transport their agricultural products to customers in mainland Europe."