Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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462. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps his Department is taking to enforce proactively existing laws on the microchipping and passporting of horses in order that stray horses can be identified and the owners found; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3440/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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EU legislation governing the identification of equines is Commission Regulation 262/2015 (CR 262/2015), as transposed into national legislation via S.I. 62 of 2016.

CR 262/2015 provides that all equine animals must be identified with a passport no later than 12 months from the date of birth of the animal, and in any event, before moving permanently from the holding of origin.

All equines identified with effect from 1^stJuly 2009 must have a transponder implanted by a veterinary practitioner, the number of which is recorded in the equine passport, thereby establishing an unequivocal link between the animal and the passport. However, there is no requirement for equines identified prior to 1^stJuly 2009 to have a transponder implanted.

My Department is working with the various stakeholders in the sector to progressively improve the identification and traceability of equines. In addition to the various pieces of equine identification legislation, a central database for recording horse registrations was introduced by my Department in Ireland in 2012. A requirement to register premises where equines are kept was introduced in 2013, and to date almost 20,000 equine premises have been registered with my Department. A requirement to notify Passport Issuing Bodies of the change of ownership of equines was introduced in 2014.

Information available from the Passport Issuing Organisations suggest high rates of compliance with the identification rules are being achieved. Officials from my Department engage in checks at sales venues including marts and fairs, as well as at horse slaughter plants and at export points including ports and airports. These compliance checks will continue in 2018.

While stray horses are primarily dealt with by local authorities under the Control Of Horses legislation, my Department will continue to work with the various stakeholders, including welfare bodies, local authorities, Gardaí, industry bodies and community groups in relation to any remaining problems that exist in relation to identification and stray horses.