A strategy to defeat a move by the Danish government to end live cattle exports from the EU is being prepared by the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Irish farming lobby.
Danish intentions were signalled a fortnight after the publication in Brussels of a video of cattle being exported from Ireland, being trucked in Lebanon and slaughtered at a Beirut abattoir. The video, shot in secret by Compassion in World Farming (Ireland), brought condemnation of the trade from the European Parliament.
The Danish attempt to stop the trade by banning export refunds on live cattle, emerged on Thursday when its representative on the EU beef management committee signalled it would seek an end to live trade. A note was circulated to other representatives saying animal welfare, transport and export refunds would be raised at the next farm council meeting and an end sought to export refunds for the cattle trade.
The Danes were criticised for this unorthodox route since they do not export animals outside the EU. The Department of Agriculture and Food said yesterday it was preparing a defence.
"It is a legitimate trade which is very important to Ireland and is highly regulated because we looked very carefully at the regulations and were instrumental in putting best practice in place during the EU Presidency," said a spokesman.
Ms Maireád McGuinness, MEP feared the Danish move was "just the tip of the iceberg" as the real target was all live exports.
Ireland exported 130,000 cattle in 2004, most of them to the rest of the EU, but 11,000 of which went to the Lebanon.