Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 March 2013
120. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans, if any, to enforce the transfer of ownership regulations in relation to horse traceability, in order that horse ownership changes are recorded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13449/13]
View answerEU legislation 504/2008 provides that equine animals must be identified from 1 July 2009 with a passport and a microchip. The relevant national legislation is S.I. No. 357 of 2011 - European Communities (Equine) Regulations 2011 (as amended). This legislation provides that if an equine animal has not been identified within six months of the date of its birth, or by 31 of December in the year of its birth, whichever date occurs later, then the equine animal cannot be admitted to the food chain.
There is no provision in the EU or national equine legislation relating to the transfer of ownership; however, my Department is currently exploring options in relation to the introduction of obligations on owners to notify the Passport Issuing Organisation of the transfer of ownership on the sale of horses in the context of this legislative background.
My Department is also developing a central database of horses which will involve migration of selected data from Passport Issuing Bodies (PIOs) to the Department. The central database will be populated with information provided from the databases maintained by the PIOs, by the Department from records obtained at slaughter plants and knackeries and by Local Authority Veterinary Inspectors in respect of records maintained at appropriate slaughter plants. If a decision is taken by my Department to introduce ownership transfer notification requirements on horse owners, the Passport Issuing Organisations will be required to notify the central database of transfers of ownership.
