Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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533. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the arrangements in place to ensure a supply of EU-approved cattle tags for farmers after November 2016, in view of the withdrawal of the previous tender process, taking into account the fact that Ireland has no technical specification for bovine tags that has EU approval as required by EU regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29823/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has recently published an approval process for the supply of bovine identification tags to cover the period commencing on 1 November 2016, and has invited potential tag suppliers to submit tags for approval. This process provides for the approval of tags by different suppliers provided they comply with standards relating to the quality of the tag, including technical specifications and security standards set out in EU regulation as well as the details of ancillary services. This approval process implements the standards for bovine ear tags provided for in the relevant EU Regulations.