Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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528. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason electronic tagging of horses is expected to cost approximately €100 when the cost of electronic tagging in registering a sheep is less than £2.00 and a bovine is approximately €5.00; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17877/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The identification of horses (and all other equines) is governed by EU Council Directives 90/426/EEC and 90/427/EEC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/2008 of 6 June 2008, which have been transposed into national legislation via S.I. No. 357 of 2011 – European Communities (Equine) Regulations 2001 (as amended). This legislation imposes an obligation and, as a corollary, any associated cost, on the owners and keepers of equines to ensure that equine animals in their possession are identified in accordance with the legislation.

The identification of an equine comprises of two elements: completion of a marking sheet by a veterinary practitioner; and, since 1 July 2011, the insertion of a transponder. The insertion of a transponder into an equine animal is a surgical procedure and accordingly, it may only be undertaken by a veterinary practitioner. Thus the identification of an equine requires the input of a veterinary practitioner whereas the tagging procedure for bovines and sheep is undertaken by the keeper.

The fees charged by veterinarians and Passport Issuing Organisations to individuals for identifying horses in accordance with the legislation are commercial matters agreed between the relevant parties. My Department has no function in the matter.