Vol. 487 No. 6
166 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties caused to many farmers in the Cavan and Monaghan areas by the delay in issuing eartags for the new tagging system for calves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5017/98]
Mullinahone Co-op commenced distribution of the current automatic supply of eartags to farmers from early in January. As was the case of supply in 1996 and 1997, farmers in the main dairying counties in the southern part of the country received tags first. All farmers who under the predictive system used were deemed to require supplies of tags will have received tags by now.
In addition my Department made a special arrangement with Mullinahone Co-op whereby they produced an emergency supply of tags on their premises in Mullinahone. Under this arrangement, tags were supplied to farmers who demonstrated an urgent need to move calves born on the holding to sale or on animal health/welfare grounds. This arrangement worked well and enabled prompt supply of tags to farmers to meet their immediate needs.
