An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-21
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Robbie Gallagher (FF), Labour Panel

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Recent data from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine shows that in 2025 we imported 40,000 tonnes of beef, which is the equivalent of about 118,000 steers, based on average weight. It is a strange statistic really, when we consider that we export seven times more beef than we import. Our largest customer for our beef is the UK. It is ironic that the majority of the 40,000 tonnes of beef we imported last year came from the UK. Farmers are asking what I would claim is a legitimate question: what is going on here? Why are we importing 40,000 tonnes of beef from the UK when that country is our largest customer for beef? Is it to do with price control or what is going on? It is fair to say we need answers in relation to this matter.
Turning to the poultry sector, last year we imported €629 million worth of poultry products into the country, while we exported approximately €165 million worth of poultry. The poultry industry employs roughly 5,000 to 6,000 people throughout the country. Of that figure, the vast majority, 2,000 to 3,000 people, are based in the Border counties, including in my area of Monaghan and Cavan. According to the Minister for agriculture, the majority of the poultry in our retail shops is imported. I would like if the Acting Leader could organise for the Minister for agriculture to come into the House so we can have a debate in relation to the beef and poultry sectors and perhaps get a few answers as to why we are importing the quantities of beef and poultry that we are. It raises many questions, and if the Minister were in this House, he may very well be able to give us the answer to those questions.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:50+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-21