Written answers

Wednesday, 26 May 2021

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Agriculture Industry

Photo of Mairead FarrellMairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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236. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the appropriate authority to report untagged livestock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28552/21]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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All livestock are required to be identified in accordance with the applicable legislation that is within the remit of the Department. Any instances of untagged livestock should be reported to the relevant Regional Veterinary Office of the Department.

Photo of Mairead FarrellMairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the appropriate action a farmer should take in the event of a livestock being grazed on their land without permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28553/21]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The matter of livestock grazing on land without the owners permission is primarily a civil matter between the two parties involved.

Under Section 8 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, for the purpose of disease control and prevention, a person who has in his or her possession or under his or her control a farm animal shall take all reasonable measures to ensure the animal is unable to stray from the land or premiseswhere it is kept. This includes maintaining buildings, gates, fences, hedges, boundary walls and other structures used to contain the animals are constructed and maintained in a manner that minimisesthe risk that the animal will stray.

Breaches of the legislation can be reported to the Department's network of Regional Veterinary Offices or An Garda Síochana for investigation in respect of these aspects.

Photo of Duncan SmithDuncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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238. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he has taken to address the serious reported problems with blackgrass being found in wildflower mixtures coming into Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28618/21]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Teagasc recently reported that blackgrass weed was found in a commercial wildflower mixture that was grown in an experimental plot at its research centre in Oakpark, Carlow. I understand that Teagasc has taken appropriate action to deal with the specific issue.

There are no EU regulations governing the importation and certification of wildflower seeds. While the EU seed regulations cover certain weed and disease species, there are no specific controls relating to Blackgrass. This also applies to third countries, including the UK, with which the EU has an equivalence agreement for trade in certified seed for the main agricultural crops.

The Department has an agreement with the Irish Seed Trade Association to impose a zero tolerance for Blackgrass, wild oats and sterile brome in certified seed grown in Ireland. Additionally, officials are engaging with the industry with a view to strengthening controls relating to wildflower seeds, both on imported seed for the formulation of species mixtures and seed propagated in Ireland for planting.

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