Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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826. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to address concerns in respect of a body (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44200/24]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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871. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason unacceptable delays are occurring in issuing foal passports by Horse Sport Ireland; the measures that will be implemented to reduce such delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45104/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 826 and 871 together.

In July 2023, the named company introduced a new online passport application platform (ePassport), which was part-funded from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. This investment in e-passports was in recognition of the negative impact of Brexit on the horse sector and will have benefits in terms of improved traceability and equine health.

It is anticipated that the move to an e-passport system will make processing of applications more efficient. However, in the initial period, there have been administrative challenges that have caused delays, including the continued processing of applications using the former paper based system and operation of the new on-line system.

While the processing of equine passport applications is in the first instance an operational matter for the named company, officials from my Department are in regular contact with the named company and recently met with them to stress the importance of the timely issue of equine passports. The named company has assured my Department that it is committed to getting passports out as quickly as possible and has taken several steps to improve service delivery, including:

• staff working additional hours, including weekends to clear the backlog, and
• the employment of priority case management where passports are required urgently.