Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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1261. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a passport system is currently in place or will be introduced for the ownership of horses, similar to the registration system for other animals, with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11144/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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It is already a legal requirement for equines (horses, ponies and donkeys) to have a passport. The passport should be issued no later than 12 months from the equine’s date of birth or before the equine leaves the establishment where it was born, whichever is the earlier date. Passport applications for foals should be submitted to the relevant Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) within six months of birth.

When the ownership of an equine changes, the person transferring ownership must provide the passport to the new owner at the time of transfer. Both parties involved in the transfer must keep a record of the transaction. The new owner must register the transfer of ownership with the PIO that issued the original passport if it issued in Ireland, or with the PIO that lodged the passport in Ireland if it was issued elsewhere. It is a legal requirement for a new owner to forward a declaration of ownership to a PIO within 30 days of purchase. The new owner may also submit the passport to be updated where the rules of the PIO so require.