Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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186. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he is putting in place to support farmers who have had livestock stolen, particularly in counties Cavan and Monaghan, where in some instances farmers have endured multiple thefts of livestock; the action he is taking on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18580/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The theft of livestock is primarily a matter for the Garda Síochána and any incident involving the theft of livestock should be reported to the Garda Síochána in the first instance. Officers of my Department assist with investigations when requested to do so by the Garda. There is also close liaison with the relevant authorities in Northern Ireland aimed at addressing the issue of stolen livestock. In this regard, a cross border liaison Group comprising my Department’s Investigation Division, gardaí and the PSNI liaise and investigate the theft of livestock on an all-Ireland basis.

Stolen cattle cannot be traded legally in the State as all bovines must bear official ear tags, be properly registered and be located on my Department’s Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) database in the herd of the individual moving or selling the bovine. When cattle are reported as stolen to my Department, they are marked on the AIM database as being stolen on foot of a Garda report. If these animals are presented anywhere in the State for sale, slaughter or export they are checked against the database and will be rejected at these outlets and an investigation initiated.