Curzon claims that last March, the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, sent out an email, known as a ‘hot weather notification’, stating that all live animal exports to North African nations in July and August, 2021, had been banned.

The ban was confirmed in other communications made by the Minister earlier this month, the court also heard.

The company, represented by David Holland SC, says it is supportive of efforts to ensure the safety and welfare of cattle it brings to North Africa from Ireland. It says it has never had any complaint from the Department of Agriculture about the manner in which it transports animals to other countries.

It claims that there is no basis for the ban, which the Minister has refused to reverse. The Department informed the company that the ban is based on several factors.

These include EU Directives and regulations on animal protection during transport, public scrutiny of the issue, temperature increases in North Africa, and an EC instruction that the transport of animals in temperatures over 30C causes suffering to them.

However, the company says that there is no legal basis for a blanket and indiscriminate ban such as the one imposed. The ban also fails to take into account the safeguards the company takes when it transports animals to North Africa.

These include the fact that its ship is equipped with a ventilation system to ensure the animals on board are transported in temperatures below 30C, even in July and August.

The company seeks an order quashing the decision, and various declarations including that the decisions are irrational, unreasonable, unlawful and outside the powers of the Minister.

The matter was adjourned for two weeks.