Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004
191 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of new cattle tags which were issued each year for the past three years; the number of replacement tags which have been issued for each of the same years; if she has satisfied herself with the number of replacement tags that have to be supplied; if she has further satisfied herself and that the system is foolproof; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30782/04]
View answerThe numbers of new and replacement bovine animal identification ear tags issued during 2001, 2002 and 2003 are set out in the following table:
|
Calendar Year |
No. of New Tags Sets |
No. of replacement Pairs of Tags |
No. of replacement Single Tags |
|
2001 |
2,435,235 |
81,596 |
275,266 |
|
2002 |
3,070,817 |
85,249 |
274,237 |
|
2003 |
2,301,898 |
93,871 |
271,514 |
The increase in the number of tags issued in 2002 reflects the initiative undertaken by my Department in tagging the remaining portion of the national herd that up to that time had been tagged using a single brass tag. The entire bovine population is now tagged with double plastic tags and this is reflected in the overall number of replacement tags requested.
Requests for replacement tags undergo a rigorous validation procedure to ensure that tags are only issued where appropriate and I am satisfied that the tag distribution system operates in an efficient and secure manner.
