Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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388. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will advise what all-island mechanisms are in place to tackle and identify theft of farm animals; if he will advise on the engagement he has had with the Minister for Justice and with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49776/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has robust systems of livestock traceability. The primary purpose of these systems is disease prevention and to deliver a rapid response to any food safety concerns. These systems also function to mitigate the risk of theft of farm animals as they involve a number of safeguards including those listed below:

- All livestock keepers/owners must obtain a herd number, unique to the farmer.

- Livestock identification tags are only issued to farmers with valid herd numbers for the species concerned and are delivered only to the registered address of the applicant keeper.

- Through the Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) system, my Department assigns the tag numbers that are printed on all livestock tags and keeps a record of those tag orders and the associated herd number.

- Only animals that are correctly identified will be accepted at marts, export assembly centres or factories.

- In the case of cattle, a number of validations are in place whereby movements to marts, export assembly points or factories are only accepted where the system shows those animals are on the herd profile of the presenting farmer.

- Where a bovine is reported missing or stolen, its tag number is flagged on AIM and it cannot be legally presented for sale, slaughter or export.

Annually, my Department inspects 3% of livestock holdings to assess compliance with identification and registration requirements and maintain the integrity of our traceability systems.

While investigations into animal theft are primarily a matter for An Garda Síochána, my Department is frequently a point of first contact in relation to the investigation of these matters and the Department provides important support, assistance and advice to An Garda Síochána in this area.

In terms of all-island cooperation on livestock traceability, cross-border movements of livestock are notified through the TRACES system. In addition, officials from Investigations Division represent my Department on the cross-Border Rural Crime Task Force, which comprises representatives from Revenue, FSAI, An Garda Síochana and their Northern counterparts, which include the PSNI and DAERA. The Task Force enables the sharing of appropriate intelligence and ensures a co-ordinated approach to enforcement actions against criminal activities including the theft of animals.