Paraic Brady (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raise an issue of great concern for a sport I am heavily involved in, that is, the horse racing industry, the Irish draught horse and horse sport in general. Passports are an identification. Every equine animal must have a chip, a passport and some sort of identification for export for the racing industry or people in general to know exactly where that animal was brought and reared. There is a huge delay in the issuing of passports to the Irish draught horse foals association. We have horses and foals that last year went for sale without passports. When they were sold at registered sales, the passports were to be sent to the relevant buyers. I was one of those buyers. This is unacceptable in the industry. We are all aware of the horsemeat scandal that affected our beef industry in the past and this is not acceptable in today's market. If we have learned anything, it must be that people must be capable of doing their jobs. When a passport is sent in and acquired, a chip goes into every animal. There is a vet's certificate for that chip and a marking up code that states all the animal's markings. It is unacceptable people must wait for seven to nine months in some cases for these to be issued. It is a growing concern that is coming up locally and nationally and it needs to be addressed by our Minister.