Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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303. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of veterinary welfare and identity checks on equine exports at Irish ports that have taken place in the past six months of 2024 and to date in 2025; the location of facilities that allow the safe checking of microchip identities for both Department veterinary officials, equine handlers and equines at the ports of departure from this jurisdiction. [7061/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Officials of my Department have conducted 412 animal welfare transport inspections on equine export trucks in the last six months of 2024, and 54 to date in 2025. The animal welfare transport inspections are conducted in both Rosslare Europort and Dublin Port on both EU and non-EU destined equine transporters. Microchip identity checks at the ports of departure by either Department officials or equine handlers are not part of the inspection protocol employed at export. Microchip identity checks and passport checks are typically carried out at the time of export certification on the premises of origin.