THE Department of Agriculture said yesterday it ht refuse export licences to the companies involved in shipping 1,130 Irish cattle to Libya, which have been on the vessel since February 22nd and spent two days without fodder.
Mrs Ann Wilkinson of Irlanda Trading Ltd, Clonee, Co Meath the company that bought the animals for export, said the vessel would arrive in Derma, Libya tomorrow. She was critical of the Department and said neither her company nor the exporters, CED Viandes in Paris, had broken any rules. "The truth is that the input of the Department into solving this problem with the Libyans was zero," she said.
The problem had arisen when the Libyans changed the destination from Tripoli to Derna, she said. Then, when the ship was running low on fodder later, it had put into Tripoli to seek food and water.
Despite claims by the Department of Agriculture that the cattle had been unloaded on Friday night, she said, the cattle had been left on board but her local agent had got fodder without any assistance.
Last night a Department spokesman said no approach had been made to the Department for help until last Thursday, when it instantly began negotiations with the Libyans and had been instrumental in ensuring that food was provided.