Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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287. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of lambs and sheep killed in meat factories here with tags with a chip number of either 08261 region UK1-Northern Ireland or 08260 region UK0-United Kingdom in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020; the plants that the animals were slaughtered in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30494/20]

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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288. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the food business operators, FBOs, in which lambs and sheep were processed in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30495/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 287 and 288 together.

The recording of sheep movements in Ireland is governed by Council Regulation (EU) 21/2004, as transposed into national legislation via S.I. 309 of 2011, as amended.

However, the intra EU movement of animals (including sheep from Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom) is recorded on the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), which is the EU-wide online management tool for all sanitary and phytosanitary requirements on intra-EU trade and importation of animals, semen and embryo, food, feed and plants. Therefore, all imports and exports of live sheep for the purposes of slaughter, breeding and fattening between Ireland and the United Kingdom, are recorded on TRACES.

The following data was extracted from TRACES:

- A total of 280,369 sheep were imported from Northern Ireland up to the 01 September 2020

- A total of 461,507 sheep were imported from Northern Ireland in 2019.

- In 2018, 521,693 sheep were imported in total from the United Kingdom. The imported sheep numbers from Northern Ireland were not available for 2018, but the vast majority of British sheep imports recorded on the TRACES system typically originate from Northern Ireland each year.

Information requested at FBO level cannot be provided due to commercial sensitivity.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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289. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of slaughter tags for lambs sold in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30496/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The rules regarding the identification of sheep changed with effect from 1 June 2019 when electronic identification was extended to all sheep.

Up to 31 May 2019, all lambs slaughtered under the age of 12 months could be identified with either a single conventional slaughter tag (white) or a single conventional mart tag (yellow). After that date, electronic identification was a requirement for all sheep.

From 1 June 2019, single conventional tags were no longer a valid means of identification for sheep. Single electronic slaughter tags are permitted only for lambs under 12 months of age moving directly to slaughter from the holding of origin. All other sheep, including lambs slaughtered under 12 months of age but moved other than directly to slaughter (e.g. via another holding or through a mart etc.) must be identified with a full electronic tag set (i.e. one conventional tag in the left ear and a corresponding electronic tag in the right ear).

In transitioning to the new identification rules effective from 1 June 2019, the sale of single conventional tags was discontinued after 30 September 2018.

The specific information requested is provided in the two Tables attached. The first Table details the number of conventional mart and slaughter tags issued in 2018 up to 1 October, after which date such tags ceased to issue. The second Table details the number of single electronic sheep slaughter tags sold from 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2020.

It should be noted that single electronic tags are applicable only to lambs moving directly to slaughter from the holding of their origin at under 12 months of age.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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290. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of lambs sold to factories by farmers in each of the years 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020 that killed out at over 22 kg carcase weight; the factory locations in which the lambs were killed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30497/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Current price reporting for sheep to my Department is based on the slaughter of ovines between the weight ranges of 13-21.5 Kgs. The Department does not collect price slaughter data below 13kg or above 21.5Kg.

The national average price €/100Kgs for the week commencing 28 of September was €489.72kg, which is a 20.4% increase from a price of €406.78 for the same week in 2019.