Mr. Finbarr Heslin:

As I said, we have been working on this since 2013. We were constantly producing code that allowed some form of verification and we used to present it to what was at that point the biggest marketplace in operation, and there was always a reason they did not want to implement it. When the regulations came in there was even an argument as to whether or not an online platform was subject to these regulations at all. We saw the laughable situation whereby microchip numbers that had been just pulled out of the air were used to facilitate the advertisement of pets. There was no consumer protection in this. With the Veripet system, it is now proven that there is a system that is instant and that works. It is now being used across Europe, in much more complicated marketplaces than Ireland's, so the short answer to the Senator's question is "absolutely". I do not know if there will be a voluntary code of practice that will compel enough of the databases to do this correctly and to the same level. As for all the arguments against using a system, the coding is there, it is not difficult, it is not dear and very little needs to be done on the other end. We have given this code to Europetnet, which is a non-governmental body based in Brussels, for roll-out across Europe, so there is nothing for Fido in this. We just want to do the right thing. The statistics to which Mr. Savage has alluded, with verification of 35% of dogs advertised, tell their own story. That means that nothing in these regulations has contributed to an improved consumer protection for the 65% of people who have bought dogs via ads since November.