Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
2432. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider adapting change of ownership laws in relation to equine purchasing in order that the onus is on the seller to change ownership and not the purchaser; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18112/21]
View answerThe legislation governing the identification of equines across the EU is Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/262 (CR 262/2015), as transposed into national legislation by S.I. 62 of 2016.
Under this legislation, the person who transfers ownership of an equine to another person must present the passport to the new owner at the time of transfer. Both parties to the transfer must keep a record of the transaction.
The new owner must register the transfer of ownership with the Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) that issued the original passport if it issued in Ireland, or with the PIO that lodged the passport in Ireland if it was issued elsewhere.
There is no current legal onus on the seller to register the change of ownership, however, both parties must keep a record of the transaction.
While there are no immediate plans to change the current legislation on identification of equines, my Department's policy is to regularly review existing legislation with a view to improvement and evolution.
