Vol. 458 No. 5
189 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the current position concerning the registration by his Department of a cattle breed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17375/95]
The Irish Montbeliarde Cattle Breeding Society Limited is seeking approval from my Department for recognition as a breeders organisation to maintain a herd book in Ireland for the Montbeliarde breed. This matter is governed by the European Communities (Trade in Bovine Breeding Animals, Their Semen, Ova and Embryos) Regulations, 1994. My Department has advised and assisted the society in the drafting of suitable herd book rules and in clarifying the administrative and recording procedures necessary for approval. Revised draft herd book rules were submitted by the society in October and these are now being considered. It is now necessary for my Department to carry out an inspection of the society's facilities to ensure that it has the competence to operate a herd book. This inspection will be carried out within the next two weeks.
