Vol. 539 No. 1
52 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the progress which has been achieved to date on the introduction of individual sheep tagging; the number of firms approved to supply tags; the availability of same; if he expects all herds to be tagged by the end of 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18493/01]
The national sheep identification scheme, NSIS, came into operation on midsummer's day, 21 June. So far more than two million tags have been processed for flock-owners. From that date all sheep must be tagged on movement off farm with a tag bearing the flock number of the farm and an individual number. This information is being recorded in sheep slaughter-plants and, under the terms NSIS, must be shown on a label on the finished carcass. All sheep remaining on farms must be tagged at the latest by 15 December. Ireland thus has, for the first time, full traceability for all sheep, on an individual animal basis. Eight tag suppliers have been approved to supply tags under NSIS – this allows farmers a wide choice as to the type of tag they wish to use.
