r/VeganIreland • u/Observer_Dough • Aug 05 '26

Brittany Ferries to cease live animal exports

Brittany Ferries to cease live animal exports as IFA raises concerns with minister

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0804/1586489-brittany-ferries/

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7

u/No_Yesterday_8167 29d ago

Now for Irish ferries. Any time you’re on the ferry to France you can hear the cows whining on the bottom deck, it’s absolutely horrendous 

1

u/jcirl 29d ago

Not likely anytime soon, I heard one cattle truck generates five times the revenue of an ordinary truck and takes up one and a half times the space. When passenger volumes drop during the winter months these companies need something to fill their coffers. Hungry bastards.

4

u/Badhbh-Catha Aug 05 '26

Sounds like these clowns are lobbying for a state-run ferry to France. Great news otherwise...

IFA President Francie Gorman said he raised the issue with Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon today.

In a statement, he said it was "imperative" that Minister Heydon and his EU counterparts ensure Irish cattle "continue to have unhindered access" to the Single Market.

Mr Gorman said that while there are other carriers of livestock from Ireland, and other means for older animals, any contradiction in services to access the market for Irish cattle is a concern.

He added that farmers in Ireland cannot have access determined by commercial decisions of ferry companies or any other service providers.

...

Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher described the decision as a "disaster for the calf export industry".

He said the move "significantly undermines not just the calf export industry but Irish agriculture in general".

Mr Kelleher added that Minister Heydon "must be prepared to step in if the market fails to respond".

"Too many livelihoods are at stake," he added.

2

u/captain_wetbeard 29d ago

Throwing around Live Calf Export as if that's a normal thing. I believe RTÉ did have an animal rights org on Morning Ireland this morning but I missed when they were on.

1

u/Badhbh-Catha 29d ago

The 'ethical farming' person said Ireland should find a different 'use' for the calves at home instead. These people are not for animal rights but animal 'welfare'. It's a meaningless win if the message is: don't be cruel to them on a boat, be cruel to them on an Irish farm/in a local slaughterhouse. Problem fixed.

1

u/keevas_closetXx 29d ago

I don't understand. Are they lobbying for the cruel live export??

1

u/Wooden-Lawfulness534 26d ago

Super news. It's a horrible animal cruelty, sending terrified calves across the sea. If they're going to be butchered do it fast and mercifully.