Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 5

Written Answers. - Sheep Tagging.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

127 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the system being proposed for the tagging of sheep; when the new procedures are expected to be in operation; the way in which the proposed system compares to the UK and the French systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29099/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

Ireland must now put in place a workable, credible and reliable system of sheep identification without delay. Factors affecting this decision include the unsatisfactory nature of our current system and the need to implement EU legislation; the increasingly important need for identification and traceability for disease control purposes, whether in relation to scrapie or other diseases; and the outcome of the examination by the sheepment forum of issues affecting development of the sector. The forum comprised producers, processors and agencies involved in the sector. In its report it recognised the need for a sheep traceabilty system and gave its support to its introduction, and market developments, particularly the introduction of a sheep tagging scheme by the UK, our main competitor on the French market.

Given the foregoing, it has been decided to introduce a sheep identification system in Ireland and to work towards its introduction from March 2001.

In designing the system to be introduced my Department has placed the emphasis on minimising both bureaucracy and cost.

Identification will be by means of tagging and will be based on flock numbers, although farmers will have the option of individual tagging. All sheep on farm will have to be tagged in the left ear within six months of birth or on movement off farm, whichever is the sooner.

While certain minimum specifications will be laid down, the type of tag to be used will be left to the farmer's choice. In addition it is proposed that a lightweight short-term tag will be permitted for lambs going directly from the farm to slaughter. In other instances a more durable tag will be used.

Additional movements between holdings will be traced via additional tagging.

The UK sheep identification system, to commence on 1 January next, is also based on flock tagging, while the French national system requires the individual tagging of all sheep within 30 days of birth.

My Department has already met with farmer representative bodies and others to explain its plans and will shortly begin the process of informing the sheep sector at large about the detailed operational aspects of the proposed system and I expect further discussions to take place. I hope that all concerned will work together with my Department towards introducing the new system as smoothly as possible.