Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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554. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a horse must be tagged; if not, the options that are available to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9103/25]

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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556. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is an offence not to tag a horse; and the consequences of same. [9105/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 554 and 556 together.

The requirements for the identification of horses are set down in EU Regulation 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases and the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) and its delegated acts. This legislation is transposed into Irish law by the European Union (Animal Identification and Tracing) Regulations, S.I. 254 of 2023.

In accordance with this legislation, horses must be identified by an injectable transponder (microchip) and a single lifetime identification document, known as an equine passport. The EU legislation states that a previously unidentified horse shall be implanted with a microchip and issued with a single lifetime identification document.

It is an offence under S.I. 254 of 2023 not to comply with these requirements and a person who commits this offence is liable on summary conviction, to a class A fine, or on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €500,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years, or to both.