Heavin’s bid to seek end to live export of pigs to China is shot down

A bid by Green Party Cllr Louise Heavin to have the live export of pigs to China banned was met with outright opposition by her colleagues on Athlone Moate Municipal District at their November meeting this week.

Cllr Heavin made an impassioned plea on behalf of Irish pigs and said she had received representations from “numerous people” who were very concerned about the welfare of the animals while in transit to China, and also when they entered the country.

She was speaking on her motion calling on the Municipal District to condemn the live exports and to write to the Minister for Agriculture “to request an end to the practice.”

The Green Party Cllr said it made “no sense whatsoever” from a carbon footprint point of view to be sending animals from Ireland “half way round the world” and she also told her colleagues that pigs are “very closely related to humans” and that Ireland has “no control” over what happens to them once they enter China.

The first objection to her motion came from a clearly exasperated Cllr Tom Farrell who said pig exports from Ireland were carried out to the “highest merit index” and he claimed that the pigs were “better treated” than he would be if he were to fly over to China himself.

Declaring himself to be “completely against” Cllr Heavin’s motion, Cllr Farrell told her that the pigs are exported for breeding purposes which is why they are live exports.

“I never seen dead pigs breeding new pigs,” remarked Cllr John Dolan, who said he was “in complete agreement” with the remarks made by his Fine Gael colleague, Cllr Tom Farrell.

“Maybe the people who contact Cllr Heavin should do a bit of their own research first before they start making claims about live pigs being exported,” said Cllr Dolan, who added that under the ‘Origin Green’ Scheme all farmers have their farms inspected every 18 months, and everything is done “to the highest standards.”

Cllr Dolan then questioned the motives of Cllr Heavin’s party leader, Eamon Ryan, in calling for a cull of the national herd in an effort to meet our climate change targets. “We have to live in the real world,” he said “and Irish agriculture has one of the lowest emission rates in the world.”

“We are going to stick to the pigs now,” interjected the Acting Chair of the Municipal District, Cllr Aengus O’Rourke, who was chairing the meeting on behalf of Cllr Liam McDaniel.

Cllr Johnny Penrose also agreed with the remarks of Cllrs Dolan and Farrell, as did Cllr Frankie Keena, who pointed out that Irish racehorses “fly all over the world for breeding purposes” and are very well treated everywhere they go.

In an effort to diffuse the heated debate, Cllr Aengus O’Rourke suggested that the Municipal District write to the Minister for Agriculture seeking reassurance about the welfare of the pigs which are exported to China. “I was going to say we should get it from the horses’ mouth,” remarked Cllr O’Rourke, to laughter from his Council colleagues.

Cllr Heavin said she was “a bit annoyed” about the remarks from her Council colleagues and she pointed out that, while Ireland might have a good animals rights record, the same could not be said ofChina.

“We have no control about what happens the Irish pigs once they get into China, and China has a very poor animal rights record,” she said.

Cllr Tom Farrell seconded the proposal from Cllr Aengus O’Rourke to write a letter to the Minister for Agriculture seeking reassurance that the live export of pigs to China is carried out to the highest standards.

“Perhaps we could ask the Minister what happens the pigs when they get into China,” said Cllr Heavin.

“They go to licenced breeders,” said Cllr Tom Farrell