Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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194. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53696/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Following the conclusion of a stakeholder consultation process the Department introduced mandatory electronic identification (EID) of cattle in July 2022. In essence this means that all calves that are born on or after 1st July 2022 must be identified with 2 official identification tags one of which contains an electronic component. In line with EU requirements my Department introduced a tag purchase threshold in July 2020 that only permitted individuals to order a one year supply of official tags commensurate to the number of breeding females in their herd. This threshold assisted farmers to limit the purchase of conventional tags.

The introduction of mandatory EID will further enhance our bovine traceability system that underpins Ireland’s trade in beef and dairy products on domestic and international markets. This decision seeks to recognise advancements in the international marketplace and take advantage of newer technologies to enhance and future proof the Irish bovine traceability system. The system will lead to a safer working environment for farmers and other stakeholders as well as saving time for farmers that is currently involved in fixing errors associated with the misreading of cattle or mismatched passports when presenting cattle for sale in livestock marts and slaughter plants.

The Department wrote to all cattle herds in August 2021 telling them about the introduction of mandatory EID from 1st July 2022 and reminding them to use up all existing stocks of non-EID tags. Since then my Department issued press releases and a number of text messages to breeding herds reminding them that they must now use an EID combination tag to identify all new born calves. In addition to the foregoing measures my Department has also secured an EID tag subvention scheme that amounts to €4.25 million for herd keepers to offset some of the additional cost involved. This scheme will operate for 3 years and cover the period 2022 to 2024. No application process will be necessary and the intention is that €2.25m of this funding will be paid to herds who purchased new EID tag sets before the end of the year.

As bovine EID has now been introduced my Department must insist that all new born calves are tagged with an EID component tag and therefore cannot permit the continued tagging of these calves with conventional tags.