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Published 13/08/2010
Compassion in World Farming-Ireland and Animals' Angels have sent a Formal Complaint to the European Commission detailing the systematic failure over many years by the Republic of Ireland to enforce EU legislation on the protection of animals during transport.
Ireland has a huge live export trade. It exports tens of thousands of young calves to Dutch veal farms; calves are also sent to Belgium, Spain and Italy. Young adult cattle are exported to Italy and, to a lesser extent, Spain for fattening.
The animals are taken from Ireland on an 18-hour ferry journey to northern France and then on by road to their eventual destination. Under EU law they should be unloaded soon after arrival in France for food, liquid and a 12 hour rest. Time and again investigations have revealed that the animals are given much less than 12 hours rest - or in some cases none at all.
Our Complaint points out that the Irish authorities repeatedly fail to enforce the EU legislation and that some Irish transporters regularly flout the law. We campaign vigorously for an end to long distance transport but, while it goes on, we are determined to ensure proper enforcement of the EU Transport Regulation.
