Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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94. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which full traceability now applies to the non-thoroughbred horse sector; the extent to which care and management is being applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43480/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The identification and registration of equidae is governed by EU Council Directives 90/426/EEC and 90/427/EEC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/2008 of 6 June 2008. The EU legislation has been transposed into national legislation via S.I. No. 207 of 2014 - European Union (Identification of Equidae) Regulations 2014. Regulation 504/2008, which came into effect on 1 July 2009, requires three elements of identification to be fulfilled in respect of each equine – i.e. a single lifetime passport, a method to ensure the unequivocal link between the animal and the passport (transponder) and a database which records the identification details of the animal under a unique identification number which relates to the animal for which the passport was issued and the person responsible for identifying the animal. Furthermore the Regulation provides that if an equine animal has not been identified properly within six months of the date of its birth, or by the 31 st of December in the year of its birth, whichever date occurs later, it cannot be admitted to the food chain.

Equine identification legislation is complemented by mandatory requirements which I introduced in recent years to register equine premises and notify change of ownership. Before verifying the eligibility of equines for slaughter for human consumption, my officials at the slaughter plant must be satisfied that the animals in question have originated from premises that is registered with my Department . Keepers from outside the State are accommodated through the use of a generic herd number.

My Department established a central equine database for equines last year on the Animal Identification and Movement [AIM] system.  The central equine database is now used to supplement the checks carried out by Department staff in slaughter plants, in particular to check that horses presented for slaughter are identified correctly and eligible for the food chain. Aside from the usual veterinary checks, the passport of an animal presented for slaughter is examined to ensure eligibility for the food chain, absence of evidence of tampering and that the markings recorded on the passport match the animal.  

I strengthened equine identification legislation earlier this year with the signing of S.I. 207 of 2014 - European Union (Identification of Equidae) Regulations 2014 - which consolidates previous secondary legislation in this area and which further reinforces my powers in relation to the seizure and detention of documents and equine animals.

In addition, there has been an increase in enforcement of legislation relating to the identification of equines at sales, marts, fairs , etc, and I acknowledge the successful collaboration between other agencies and my Department in this area.

With regard to the application of care and management, primary responsibility for safeguarding the health and welfare of their horses rests with owners. Owners are also encouraged to adhere to best practice in disposing of their horses when they no longer fulfil the purpose for which they were bred, as such actions prevent the emergence of long-term animal welfare problems.

I would like to assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to maintain ongoing vigilance in relation to official controls on the identification of horses at marts and other sales venues, in meat factories and at points on entry to the country.