Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the problem of up to 100 horses roaming in commonage areas and public roads in the Cooley Mountains in County Louth; if steps have been taken to deal with this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5468/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Control of Horses Act, 1996 provides extensive powers to local authorities, including powers for the enactment of bye-laws for the control and welfare of horses in the local authorities’ functional area. My Department provides financial support to local authorities to assist their work in implementing the Act. Louth County Council has made bye-laws declaring the Cooley commonage a "control area" where all horses need to be micro-chipped and licensed. Officials from my Department are liaising with local authority officials in Louth to underline how implementation of the Control of Horses Act, together with legislation governing equine identification, can assist with controlling horses, particularly with regard to horses that are straying and or abandoned so as to prevent injury or nuisance to persons or damage to property.