Progress urged on meat exports
The Irish government has been urged to step up its efforts to
secure the early lifting of the Russian ban on the importation of
carcass beef from seven Irish counties, and to ensure the
immediate full and unrestricted access for live cattle exports to
Egypt and Libya.
Speaking in Leinster House on Wednesday Sinn Féin TD for Cavan
and Monaghan, two of the seven banned counties, said: ``It is
absolutely essential that the minister secures the lifting of the
Russian ban. It is patently obvious too that a new arrangement
for Russian veterinary inspection is also required. The Russian
market has accounted for a full quarter of all our beef exports
and has the potential, if everyone pulls together, to
substantially build on the 130,000 tonnes sold to that market in
1996. I hope that the minister can give Irish farmers, their
families and all who recognise the central importance of
agriculture to our economy, an assurance of an impending end to
this ban.
``Successive governments have failed to secure the reopening of
the Egyptian market for live cattle exports from this country.
Other opportunities would follow if the Egyptian market was
re-secured.
``The apparently laid-back approach of the minister and his
cabinet colleagues must be challenged. However the efforts of
some deputies to reclaim the high moral ground on this lacks full
credibility. Farmers are not fools - they want constructive
action not playing politics with their livelihoods.
``It's long past time for the parties in this House to set the
charade aside and sit down together in a serious effort to secure
justice and best results for all farmers.''
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)