A ministerial order prohibiting the export of ox heads from the State to Northern Ireland is to be lifted from next Tuesday as part of a High Court settlement agreed yesterday. Mr Justice McCracken was told a settlement had been reached on the issue of liability in a case where a Co Down meat factory brought proceedings against the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Ireland and the Attorney General, over a circular from the Minister which prohibited a trade to the North in ox heads.
Eurostock Meat Marketing Ltd of Newry, which specialises in the export of beef and beef offal to the UK and France, had sought orders restraining the State from interfering with its business and, in particular, with customers in the Republic who supply it with ox heads.
It claimed that last February a ministerial order placed restrictions on the sale and movement of certain products, including the skulls of bovine animals, having regard to the incidence of BSE. It was alleged that the Minister, in a circular letter, clarified to senior veterinary inspectors that the order was not intended to restrict the export of bovine heads to the North.
The company claimed that another ministerial circular of June 18th last indicated that the trade to the North in ox heads was to cease.
The Minister had indicated, it was alleged, that the decision to restrict exports of bovine heads had resulted from the abuse of the export option by certain meat plants which had allegedly used it as a means of disposing of specified risk material rather than as a valid means of trade.
The effect of the restriction was that its trade with France had been rendered impossible to continue and the overall effect was to place the company in imminent danger of liquidation, Eurostock claimed.
The State had denied the company's claim but said that, if there was a restriction, it was justified under EU treaties.