2760. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any work ongoing to address animal cruelty concerns related to the export of live animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62778/26]

The trade in and the export of live animals is a private commercial activity, but it is heavily regulated by European and National laws which my Department enforces. My Department takes its responsibilities in the matter of animal welfare very seriously and exercises close oversight and deploys considerable resources to the area of animal welfare in general, including in respect of animals being transported.

My Department has continuously reinforced its practical, administrative and legislative measures to protect the welfare of animals during transport, often going beyond the minimum requirements of the current Regulation EU Council Regulation (EC) No 1 of 2005 on the protection of animals during transport for example in terms of extra space in vehicles, more frequent driver training, and controls on temperature stress.

Independent data on the health and welfare of Irish calves arriving into the Dutch veal production system indicates they have significantly lower mortality and lower antibiotic usage compared to calves arriving from other Member States.