Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of equidae registered on stud books with an approved body for the purposes of Regulation 399 European Communities (Equine stud-book and Competition) Regulations 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40098/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 381: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of registered equidae that are in possession of the necessary identification documents pursuant to Regulation 399 European Communities (Equine stud-book and Competition) Regulations 2004; the estimated number of outstanding equidae that remain to be registered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40099/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 382: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of officials within her Department appointed to enforce Regulation 399 European Communities (Equine stud-book and Competition) Regulations 2004; the actions taken against those who have failed to comply with this legislation; the number of individuals who have failed to comply with this legislation since its introduction; the number of veterinary surgeons who have been detected for failing to request relevant identification documents as required under this legislation prior to administering treatment; the action which has been taken against veterinary surgeons for such compliance failures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40100/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 to 382, inclusive, together.

Six equine breeding organisations have been approved for the purpose of maintaining a stud book under Regulation 3 of the European Communities (Equine Stud-Book and Competition) Regulations, SI 399 of 2004.

In addition, two organisations have been approved under Regulation 7 of the European Communities (Equine Stud-book and Competition) Regulations, SI 399 of 2004 for the purpose of issuing equine identification documents only.

My Department does not have the information on the number of horses on the various studbooks held by the bodies for the maintenance of studbooks or of the number of identity identification documents issued. There is no legal obligation on the bodies to provide this information to my Department. While there are no statistics held in my Department on the number of horses that remain to be registered our current best estimate is in the region of 12,000 out of a total national herd of about 124,000.

The principal reason for the adoption of the regulations on identification of horses was to ensure proper recording of the administration of veterinary medicines and to avoid the introduction of such medicines to the human food chain. A Code of Practice on the procedures to be adopted by Veterinary Surgeons administering veterinary medicines to horses was agreed between my Department and Veterinary Ireland in February 2005. Furthermore, under EU legislation, all horses presented for slaughter at meat plants in the Community for entry into the human food chain must be accompanied by the requisite identity documentation and this is subject to check by the Veterinary Services. There have been no prosecutions under SI 399/2004 since it was adopted.