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

One thing that comes across as extraordinary is that we cannot seem to get to grips with the problem of ensuring all horses are microchipped. As they are not small animals, it is not like dealing with cats where one could breed 100 very quickly. Horses have a longer gestation period. As they are big animals, it is amazing that we cannot settle this issue once and for all.

On the comments made about the import of horses, at one stage we were looking at offering a bounty for six months or paying €100 for every horse brought to a knackery, including abandoned horses that had not been microchipped. However, it would be pointless if they were being brought in by the back door. This seems to be the No. 1 point that we must deal with.