The owners of the livestock ship Cimbria, on which 77 cattle died four years ago while it was en route to Saudi Arabia, want to use it again for the transport of cattle to Lebanon.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed yesterday that its officials would carry out a marine and veterinary inspection of the vessel. The Cimbria has been criticised by the welfare organisation Compassion in World Farming (CIWF).
The ship is berthed in Waterford and will be picketed later today by CIWF supporters who say the Department must not license it to carry animals from Ireland.
The Cimbria left Cork in February 1995 for Saudi Arabia with 620 cattle. A Department of Agriculture vet travelled on it.
The ship encountered bad weather in the Bay of Biscay and 77 animals died or had to be put down because of broken bones. The surviving animals were offloaded in Jeddah.
The incident was reported in The Irish Times on March 29th 1995, and prompted outrage. The then minister for agriculture, Mr Ivan Yates, said the following day that neither "this vessel nor any similar one will be approved in the future".
He described what had happened as "horrific and shocking" and introduced new laws governing animal transportation the following year.
He said the vessel had been provisionally approved by his Department to carry cattle after marine and veterinary inspection. It was clear, he said, the vessel was not capable of dealing with the weather conditions encountered.
Last night the Department of Agriculture spokesman said it was the right of any shipowner to present a vessel for the carriage of animals under these regulations.
"She will be inspected this coming weekend and I am saying that no vessel which does not meet the requirements of the 1996 regulations will be approved to carry cattle from Ireland," he added.
"No inspection has taken place yet, no decisions have been taken yet but in natural justice, every shipowner has the right to proffer his or her vessel for inspection." It is understood the Cimbria has been carrying livestock in the southern hemisphere since 1995. Ms Mary-Anne Bartlett, CIWF's director in Ireland, said she had written to the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, asking him not to approve the ship.
"I have also written to Mr Yates to ask him to put pressure on Mr Walsh to ensure that the pledge he gave to the public in 1995 will not be broken," she said.