Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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90. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the plans, if any, to standardise the rules for people with equine premises numbers that are applying for full herd numbers, which are at present decided on a case-by-case basis, in order to ensure they will not be disadvantaged by the five-year rule when applying for young farmers enhancement schemes in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36645/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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An equine premises registration number (EPRN) is required for any person keeping an equine. In order to get an EPRN, an applicant must complete and sign the form HR1, available online at my Department’s website, and return it to their regional veterinary office. An EPRN is a herd number that is only active on my Department’s system for activities relating to keeping horses or donkeys. It is possible for a person who initially obtained an EPRN to subsequently have it activated for other species such as cattle or sheep.

In these circumstances, where one number covers a number of activities, it is necessary for my Department to examine applications under the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers made using a herd number that was first used for horses to assess when exactly the agricultural activity started and to assess any supports that may have been paid by my Department during the time the herd number was held solely for equine purposes. Systems in my Department record when a number is activated for each species and this information is used to ensure a consistent approach.

My Department is available to provide further information on an individual case if required, and the Deputy can contact my office or my Department’s Oireachtas Liaison Unit in this regard.