Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has said that “we are one step closer to getting rid of the impracticable and damaging proposals on pregnant and unweaned animals from the ANIT recommendation” following his success at convincing his Renew Europe colleagues to table alternative amendments this week.
“Following exhaustive negotiations with colleagues from over 20 Member States, I secured support for the re-tabling of the original compromises on these two topics from my colleagues in Renew Europe.
“Additionally, it has been confirmed that the EPP and the S&D groups (parliament’s two biggest political groups) will also re-table the original compromises.
“While the support of every MEP in each of our three groups is not guaranteed, it is a positive sign that groups representing a majority in the parliament have agreed to re-table these sensible, yet pro-animal welfare, amendments.
“This will be a difficult vote next week. Parliament is split 50:50 on this issue, and while the outcome cannot be certain, this week’s decision of the three groups to re-table the more sensible proposals is an important step.
“There are those in the green-left and animal rights movements who are attempting to characterise my proposals as being bad for animal welfare. Taken in the round with the rest of the recommendations, they represent a dramatic shift in favour of improving animal welfare during transport.
“Crucially, they do not inhibit the rights of farmers and exporters to transport animals to different markets.
“The vote on these proposals, plus a number of other amendments, will take place on Thursday, 20th January when the Parliament convenes in Strasbourg. Between now and then, I will work to convince more MEPs, especially Irish colleagues, to vote for proposals that improve standards and allow the industry to continue.
“No Irish MEP should be voting to keep the extreme proposals that I am opposing in the final set of recommendations,” concluded Kelleher.