Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The microchip and passports arrangement was introduced in 2009 but there are a great many horses in the system which predate that year. When horses are brought to slaughter, is every carcass checked for the presence of bute to ensure that no carcass containing that substance, which is very dangerous to humans, gets into the food chain? Does the Minister propose to introduce a centralised system as exists for cattle to issue identification to all equines in the State to ensure there is no fudging or uncertainty? The public would like to be absolutely reassured, not only because of the horsemeat scandal but so that all horses can be tracked and identified. As the Minister said, there are a great many issues around horses.

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