Mr. Anthony Collins:

The cost involved is absolutely prohibitive for many horse owners. We want the introduction of a cost system that is similar to that of all other farm animals. Bovine, ovine and porcine animals are all fully identifiable and traceable at a cost of less than €5. If I wanted to register a foal tomorrow morning, it would cost me between €120 and €130. The fact that it is cost prohibitive is the single issue that has brought our horse industry to where it is today. Only 48% of our horse population is identified. Currently, 52% of the horse population is not identified. These are the Department's own figures. The main reason for that the horses are not identified is because it is cost prohibitive. That cost is used a fundraising mechanism for the passport agencies. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine must take back control with our proposed online passport system. It is a system that will identify and trace both groups of animals but it must be at a cost of less than €5.

I listened to the previous committee session with representatives from the Dogs Trust. Going forward in the canine industry, I would be cautious of the expense that is involved with the online passport, the DNA and the dog licensing. If all of those expenses are piled onto dog owners, we will be doing exactly what has been done to the horse industry. That is how it will end up.