Time to end export of live animals

Sir, – No one who has been campaigning for an end to the live export trade will have been surprised by what was shown on our screens on Tuesday night on the RTÉ Investigates report on the live export of young bull calves. Nonetheless, the footage was truly shocking, as bad as any this campaigner has seen in 30-plus years of campaigning. With all the spin about Ireland having the highest animal welfare standards in the world, is beating very young calves with sticks and dragging them by the ear and the tail good animal welfare? Is dumping dead calves in a pit with other dead calves and leaving the carcasses exposed in the open air good animal welfare? Is sending calves on extraordinarily long and arduous journeys across Europe, and beyond, good animal welfare?

We rely on our elected representatives and government agencies to ensure that our farmed animals are treated with due care and respect. They have collectively failed in their duty of care, as evidenced by the RTÉ programme. They will issue statements to the effect that they didn’t know, but campaigners have been raising these exact concerns for years.

Reform is not the answer. Whatever reforms are put in place will be ignored by those who profit from the trade. They have run a horse and carriage through existing EU legislation. What makes anyone think they won’t do the same with any new reforms? This cruel trade must cease immediately. – Yours, etc,

GERRY BOLAND,