Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I call on the Leader to ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to come to the House to make a statement on the Control of Horses Act 1996. Many horses are not microchipped even though it has been a requirement since 2009. I will give an example of the mayhem they are causing. In Kilkenny over the weekend horses broke from wherever they were being held, went up a country road and into people's gardens including the garden of a nursing home that was destroyed. Nobody is taking responsibility.

I want the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to come to House and make a statement on whether all horses born after 1 July 2009 are being microchipped. Is the law being enforced whereby a horse caught wandering three times in the previous 12 months may be seized, resulting in the owner not getting the animal back? Another part of the legislation provides that the local authority may decide to dispose of a horse that has been detained on two or more occasions in the previous 12 months. Is that being done? It costs ¤34.16 to license a horse and a further ¤16 to microchip it, which comes to ¤50 or so. Some families have 40 or 50 horses. How can these people afford horses? They are causing mayhem on the roads with children under 16 often in charge of horses, which is against the law. People on country roads are in danger owing to people having sulky races on these roads.

In the 1930s a person with a pony and trap was required to have a number plate for that trap. I ask the Minister to consider requiring these sulkies to be licensed and carry a number plate. It should cost money for people to own them. These people are not treating the rest of the community with respect and are causing a danger on the roads. Are the laws relating to microchipping, horses wandering and horses that have been detained twice being enforced?