Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the steps he is taking to secure a voluntary option on the implementation of electronic identification of sheep here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43804/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The introduction of electronic identification (EID) for sheep was agreed at EU level in late 2003. At that time, it was agreed to defer the implementation date until January 2008. The Council revisited this issue in December 2007 when it was agreed that the deadline for the compulsory introduction of EID should be set for 31 December 2009, 6 years after the original decision was taken. I have no discretion as regards the date of implementation.

I have always opposed the mandatory introduction of EID and have used every opportunity at a personal level to express both to the relevant European Commissioners, and my colleagues in the Council of Ministers, my clear view that EID should only be introduced on a mandatory basis across Europe when it has been clearly demonstrated that the benefits deriving from EID clearly outweigh any costs or inconveniences associated with its introduction.

For that reason, I have always advocated that EID should only apply on a voluntary basis. This position was again stated at the Council last week. In this forum, I also raised the question of facilitating traditional cross border trade in slaughter lambs. Unfortunately, most other Member States do not share this problem of cross border trade and were therefore unwilling to agree to further concessions in this respect.

In parallel to this opposition, I have placed a large emphasis on acquiring concessions that will minimise any inconvenience in its introduction and will take due account of Irish conditions. In particular, provision has been made to exempt from EID, lambs under 12 months of age and that are intended for slaughter. This means that the vast majority of Irish sheep will not be affected by the EID requirement. Primarily, only those animals retained for breeding over the coming years would have to be electronically tagged and so the additional costs to farmers in any given year are being kept to a minimum. Given that 70% of Irish flocks have less than 100 sheep, the vast majority of farmers will have a maximum additional cost of €30.