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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Feb 1999

Vol. 501 No. 1

Written Answers. - Cattle Identification Tags.

Brendan Smith

Question:

59 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties being encountered by cattle farmers in relation to the loss of single or both ear tags and the impact this is having on producers in relation to the timing of premium payments and the delays in getting cattle slaughtered. [5212/99]

In accordance with Community and national legislation, cattle born since 1996 must be identified, inter alia, by means of two plastic eartags, each containing the same unique tag number. An animal bearing only one plastic eartag is not properly identified and must not be moved from a holding. In a small number of cases cattle are presented for slaughter at meat plants-abbatoirs with a single eartag. Exceptionally, and to deal with such cases, my Department has recently introduced arrangements to allow such animals to be considered for slaughter provided not more than a percentage of the animals in the consignment are missing one eartag and that the animals in question comply with the other EU identification requirements that is; (i) that they have a valid passport document; (ii) that they are recorded on the national registration database and (iii) that they are correctly recorded in the herdowners on-farm herd register. I should mention that experience has shown that where animals are correctly and securely tagged in accordance with instructions, tag loss in transit is low.

The position regarding headage-premium payments is that where one tag is missing at inspection payment is allowed and the farmer is advised to get a replacement tag immediately. Where both tags are missing, the other elements of identification and registration are considered to establish if the applicant has maintained traceability as far as possible. If it is established that the applicant is complying fully with the other elements of identification and registration then the untagged animal is deleted from the claim without reduction penalties on the other animals. All animals applied on are counted for stocking density.

Where it is established that there is non-compliance with any other aspect of the identification and registration requirements then the animal in question is rejected from the claim with consequent reduction penalties on all the other animals on the claim.

The issue of tagging should not normally affect the timing of premium payments. Processed claims are cleared for payment and payment commences at the earliest permissible by the regulations governing the schemes. Payment may not issue where outstanding queries are unresolved or where an appeal has been lodged.

As the Deputy will be aware, the correct identification of cattle is an essential requirement for traceability purposes. It is most important therefore that all aspects of the tagging arrangements are fully complied with at all times in order to provide the assurances demanded by consumers and customers abroad.

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