Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The current legislation governing the identification of equines is Commission Implementing Regulation 262/2015 (CR 262/2015), which came into effect on 1 January 2016. This EU legislation was subsequently transposed into national legislation via SI 62 of 2016, as amended. Under the current rules all equines must be identified with a passport no later than 12 months from the date of the equine’s birth and must be implanted with a numbered microchip transponder by a veterinary practitioner. SI 62 of 2016 requires that keepers submit an application for an equine passport with an appropriate passport-issuing organisation within six months of the date of birth of the animal.This provides the passport issuing organisations, PlOs, with sufficient time to conduct further examinations, including DNA testing for studbook equines, with a view to ensuring the identification document issues within the required timeframe, which is no later than 12 months from the date of birth of the equine. It is not an offence to apply for a passport outside the six-month timeframe but a passport issued outside of the 12 months specified under the article must be issued as a duplicate replacement document. The latter automatically and irrevocably excludes the associated equine from being slaughtered for human consumption at the end of its life.

In the context of microchipping, the number of the microchip must he recorded on the passport issued in respect of the equine. It must also be recorded on the database maintained by the issuing PIO and must be notified by the latter the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's central database, along with all other identification data in respect of the equine that is required under Article 38 of CR 262/2015. The microchip creates a link between the equine and the passport issued in its respect. However, the passport is the required identification document under CR 262/2015. Equine identification documents are issued by PIOs to the Department.

The Senator referred to a response to a parliamentary question which indicated that the Department's policy is to adopt a fair and proportionate approach in dealing with this matter. The problem is that many of the animals referenced have never been microchipped and, as such, there are no traceable owners. All of the animals recorded in registered studbooks are so recorded for other reasons. Much work needs to be done in communities. The Department has invested €127,000 per annum over the past two years in a specific project in Limerick, which has expanded into many other areas. This project, known as the Moyross project, has resulted in some young people taking up training in stables and, in some cases, further education in this area. One particular young man is considered to have a bright future ahead in this field. There is work being done in this area. I am a horse owner and I have taken rescue animals onto my own farm in the past. I understand the difficulties expressed. As a former member of a local authority, I know that when animals are found in a poor state of health nobody admits to ownership of them. These animals are never released until they have been microchipped and only then to persons who can prove they have access to sufficient grazing land for them. This is how the system works.

This was highlighted as a major issue some years ago but people's activities have been reined in year on year in the meantime. I agree that the cruelty to which reference was made is unacceptable. As an owner of animals, I could not stand over such cruelty.