An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-16
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Joe Conway (IND), Cultural and Educational Panel

I draw Members' attention to the second paragraph from a letter sent by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon, to Waterford City and County Council. It states:
The Department strongly condemns the mistreatment of any animal and takes the matter of animal welfare most seriously. Neglect of or causing unnecessary suffering to animals is not acceptable in our society.
Bearing that in mind, despite the ongoing conflict in the region, large volumes of Irish cattle are still being exported to Israel both directly from Ireland and from other member states of the EU. Since October 2023 almost 9,000 young bulls or weanlings have been shipped directly to Haifa from Greenore. In addition, an unknown number have been seen arriving there just recently in shipments from Croatia, Slovenia and EU states. Irish cattle can easily, of course, be identified by their ear tags. Not only do these animals have to contend with a long sea journey where they suffer from respiratory illness, ringworm, corneal ulcers, leg injuries, diarrhoea and varying degrees of heat stress but also they are arriving in the middle of a war zone. Sources at Haifa Port have informed us that every day barrages of rockets fall onto the port and surrounding areas where the quarantine centres and fattening farms are. It is beyond belief that any competent authority is still authorising shipments of this nature in the knowledge the animals are being put at considerable risk. Furthermore, the workers at the port fear for their lives and want to complete the unloading quickly. It is said the pressure is causing them to be more impatient than usual with the animals and electric prods are being widely used to get the cattle off the ships as quickly as possible. It is clear that sending animals to Israel at the moment is sending them into extreme danger. Nowhere is safe. Much the same is happening in Lebanon.
We really need a comprehensive debate in this House on animal welfare to include the export of live animals, the conditions on puppy farms, the use of sulkies on the roads and a whole panoply of issues we need to address. A good debate in the House would clear the air and maybe underscore some of the nastier things that are happening because all of them need to be highlighted.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-16