Time to ban live animal exports

Sir, – Grace O'Sullivan MEP of the Green Party is to to be admired for her call to end the barbaric trade of live exports. She is one of few politicians with compassion for the suffering of animals ("Creed rejects call for ban on live animal exports", News, December 29th).

In defending live exports, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed stated, “our exports are based on the highest welfare standards and I believe it is possible to continue that trade, having animal welfare at the heart of it, Fine Gael in government has a clear commitment to live exports and in fact it has increased over the last number of years but only on the basis that it operates to the highest welfare statements and that’s critically important”.

High standards cannot be correlated with the suffering involved in live exports.

In May 2019, distressing footage emerged of calves only a few weeks old being badly abused at Cherbourg on their journey from Ireland to their final destination. Over recent months, thousands of Irish cattle and bulls were shipped on long stressful journeys to destinations in north Africa where animal welfare standards fall well short of the those advocated by the EU. Common practices involve animals being strung up, and slaughtered without stunning by inhumane methods such as throat cutting. It is inconceivable to imagine their sheer fear and terror before they die.

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If New Zealand, a country of similar size and farming interests to ourselves, banned live exports, why can’t we do likewise? In my opinion, no economic arguments can justify this unethical trade. – Yours, etc,

GER BROWN,

Midleton, Co Cork.