Cecilia Keaveney
Question:98 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of the sheep register and the reconciliation of the sheep tagging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20968/02]
Written Answers. - Animal Identification Scheme.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:105 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has satisfied himself that existing procedures regarding to traceability in the sheep industry are workable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20988/02]
Minister for Agriculture and Food
(Mr. Walsh): I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 105 together.
I remain fully committed to the principles of the national sheep identification system (NSIS), which provides the means by which each individual animal in the national flock can be identified and traced from birth to carcass, with ensuing benefits in areas such as disease monitoring and control, consumer assurance, flock management, etc. Based on its own monitoring my Department believes that the NSIS is generally working well.
I have, however, always made it clear that specific difficulties which flockowners may encounter will be examined with a view to resolving such difficulties within the key parameters of the system. In this context and as a result of feedback to the Department from flockowners and via farmer representative bodies it is acknowledged that a full reconciliation with the flock register may be difficult for some farmers given the fact that the "group" approach to recording of details in the register had been agreed. To address this problem I have decided that the reconciliation for 2002 should be simplified. A letter outlining full details of this adjustment in approach is being issued to all flockowners this week.
My Department is also examining a submission received on 11 October 2002 from the Irish Farmers' Association suggesting certain adjustments to the NSIS. Clarification on a number of points, in particular on the traceability element which is particularly important in terms of disease control and monitoring, has been sought from the IFA. My Department will be better able to assess and respond to the submission once such clarification is to hand.
Any further adjustments, refinements or improvements which might be contemplated by my Department will give due weight to the necessity to protect the integrity of both the identification and traceability dimensions of NSIS and to take account of forthcoming proposals from the EU. Any such refinements, would, in any event, fall to be introduced in 2003 rather than this year.