Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action she has taken subsequent to receiving a petition signed by over 12,000 people seeking to end the export of Irish horses for slaughter during the first half of 2006; the number of such horses that have been exported to the United Kingdom and other EU countries during each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32869/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Trade in horses between EU Member States is provided for under EU legislation which establishes the health conditions and health certification to be applied to such animals for trade purposes. The prevention of a trade that is specifically provided for in EU legislation would be contrary to the fundamental principles of the EU and could be construed as an unlawful barrier to trade. Ireland does not certify horses specifically for slaughter as health certificates do not distinguish this as a purpose of export. All export certificates that are issued by the Department are in respect of animals for breeding, racing, jumping /sport use.

Furthermore, Ireland is party to a tripartite agreement with the UK and France for trade in horses. This permits trade in all horses with the UK and in registered horses to France without health certification, on the basis of equivalent health status in the equine sector in these countries. Because of this, it is not possible to be sure of the ultimate destinations of such horses exported to the UK or France. Such horses must, however, be individually identified by a passport or a current signed marking sheet.

General welfare rules apply to the export of horses. All consignments of certified horses and a random sample of tripartite horses exported are subjected to a welfare check by veterinary inspectors and ports to ensure that they are fit for the journey intended and a certificate is issue.

Details in relation to exports of horses for which statistics are kept are as follows:

The significantly higher figure for 2001 is due to the fact that the tripartite agreement was suspended for the duration of the foot and mouth crisis and all horses travelling to the UK and France had to be certified in the same way as horses going to other European countries.