Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 5

Written Answers. - Sheep Slaughter.

Billy Timmins

Question:

166 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason officials from his Department put down 14 sheep at the farm of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; his Department's policy on stray sheep; if the policy should be advertised in the local press; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5801/02]

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

On 30 January 2002, the owner of the farm referred to by the Deputy reported to my Department that 14 untagged sheep belonging to an unknown third party were present on his land. Under the national sheep identification system, NSIS, introduced on 21 June 2001, all sheep were required to be tagged upon leaving the farm of origin, or by 15 December 2001, at the latest. The stray sheep referred to were not tagged and were slaughtered in accordance with the provisions of the Diseases of Animals Acts, 1966 to 2001.

The introduction of a national sheep identification system was widely publicised in the agricultural media and elsewhere, and information packs detailing its requirements have been sent to flockowners. There is no excuse, particularly in the wake of the FMD crisis, for not adhering to the requirements of NSIS, and I regard breaches of these provisions as an extremely serious matter. Should any further information come to light as to the origin of these sheep my Department will pursue the matter with a view to initiating a prosecution.