A Kerry TD is calling for the classification of snails to be changed to better support snail farmers.
There are around 30 snail farmers throughout Ireland, including one in Cahersiveen.
Speaking in the Dáil, Independent TD Michael Healy Rae stated a snail is classed as an animal, but they don't qualify for any farming payments.
He says in France, snails as classed as shellfish and Deputy Healy Rae says this allows for an easier processing system.
He's urging the Government to engage with a group called escargot to help tackle classification and other issues:
Independent TD for Kerry Michael Healy Rae says given the classification of snails in Ireland, they require the same documentation as cows.
He says all live Irish-farmed snails must be shipped to Greece to be processed; they are then shipped back to Irish farms to be sold as a processed product.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Pippa Hackett says there are wider supports that may benefit snail farmers, such as Enterprise Ireland's innovation voucher scheme.
Minister Hackett says the Government could possibly look at the classification of snails:
