Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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With cattle, the AIM system means that the Department knows where everyone’s animals are at this minute. What is the push back that is coming? Is it from the thoroughbred or the horse sport side? We are hearing there is push back against the Department having an AIM system. Some 2.5 million calves are born every year. Within one week, we are able to have a card for them. There is a book. We know the sire and the dam and whether they are purebreds or commercial. Even though we heard a few years ago that this was happening, we has it still not happened? Why is there not DNA sampling? It is an embarrassment for Ireland to see that the EU is dealing with this. It is an embarrassment for our country because we always took pride in our horses. We are now the focus of the rest of Europe. For the good people who are involved, it is an embarrassment for them as well. Why have we not resolved those issues ahead of everything?

I heard Mr. Sheahan say earlier that they did not get the footage. The Department has a special investigation unit. Is that correct? They have Garda powers. They can go into RTÉ or anywhere they want with a warrant from a judge and get whatever is required or whatever they want, and not two weeks' later but the next day.