Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1545. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the conditions that apply to the grant given in 2016 to the Connemara Pony Breeders Society regarding the testing of ponies; if his Department is aware of considerable delays before issuing passports back to breeders after testing; the steps he will take to rectify this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25194/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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As part of its breeding programme, the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society commissions DNA testing on all horses it registers. This process is conducted by a specialist laboratory independent of the Society and the speed at which the Society issues passports to owners is contingent on the completion of the parallel test process. Commission Regulation 2015/262 concerning equine identification prevents a passport been issued by the issuing body until this information is received.

My Department has allocated funding in 2016 to the Connemara Pony Breeders Society under an Equine Infrastructures Grant Scheme which it operates, to provide assistance to the CPBS for DNA testing. Grant payment is based on vouched expenditure.

My Department has contacted the Connemara Pony Breeders Society regarding its passport issuing process and it has advised that procedures are being put in place to minimise passport turnaround time.