Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 April 2013
215. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the procedures and/or regulations in place to ensure proper adjudication of adequate animal welfare regulations in respect of the non-thoroughbred, non-sporting horse industry with particular reference to traceability and ownership of this sector with a view to addressing issues of husbandry and good practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17960/13]
View answerThe European Communities (Welfare of farmed animals) Regulations 2010, S.I. No. 311 of 2010 gives effect to a series of European Directives concerning the protection of animals, including horses, kept for farming purposes. Department Veterinary Inspectors are designated authorised officers under these Regulations. The provisions of the Protection of animals Act 1911, as amended by 1995 Act, applies in the case of cruelty to all animals, including non-thoroughbred, non-sport horses.
With regard to traceability, the identification and registration of equines is governed by EU Council Directives 90/426/EEC and 90/427/EEC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/2008. The latter regulation, which came into effect on 1 July 2009, provides that equine animals registered after that date must be identified with a passport and a microchip. This regulation applies to all equines, including equines not deemed to be bloodstock or sport horses non-thoroughbred, non-sport horses.
The EU legislation relating to the identification and traceability of equines has been transposed into national legislation via 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 the 31st of December in the year of its birth, whichever date occurs later, then the equine animal cannot be admitted to the food chain. S.I. No 357 of 2011 was amended in September 2012 by S.I. 371 of 2012 in order to strengthen the powers of the Minister in relation to approval of an issuing body for equine passports and prosecutions in relation to equine identification and to make it an offence to forge or tamper with an equine passport. Passports are essential in the control and prevention of disease, in public health and animal welfare.
My Department introduced enhanced legislation and procedures in relation to the registration of horse premises such that, from 1 May 2012, anyone who is the owner/person in charge of any premises on which horses are kept is required to register the premises with my Department. Keepers seeking to register equines are required to have a herd number registered with my Department and to keep records of movements on/off their premises. This legislation applies to all equines.
