Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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298. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding purchasing calf tags in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14699/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The position is that the supply of tags to herdowners is the responsibility of a private service provider who was awarded the contract on the basis of a public tender. I understand from the service provider that the phone lines of the tag supplier are very busy at certain times of the year, particularly during the spring calf tagging period. However, in the event that all phone lines are busy, there is a facility for a caller to leave a recorded message and the policy of the tag supplier is to return calls on the same day. I would like to emphasise that new tags can be ordered by post by completing the form sent to all keepers in November or by using the online ordering system. Neither of these methods require telephone contact. Replacement tags may be ordered online, by email, by fax, by post or over the telephone.

In relation to the herdowner mentioned in the question, I understand that she ordered new calf tags on 1 March via the online service and this order was delivered within the 15 working day period set out in the contract with the approved tag supplier. A single replacement tag was ordered on the 8 April and this issued to the herdowner the following day.