Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
1278. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to (details supplied) to confirm how Irish thoroughbreds are being slaughtered in the UK; if he will provide details of the true slaughter figures of thoroughbreds in Ireland and the UK per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37869/23]
View answerI can confirm that for the years 2019 – 2023, no equines were certified for movement for slaughter from Ireland to establishments in GB. Many horses are traded from Ireland to GB. It is possible that horses moved to GB for other reasons were subsequently sent for slaughter there. These horses would retain their Irish passports and microchips from when they were born, even if they had been resident in the UK or elsewhere.
As noted in the article, half of the thoroughbred population in Britain is of Irish origin, which may explain how horses with Irish passports are presented for slaughter in Great Britain.
My Department does not maintain figures or information on horse slaughter in the UK, this is a matter for the UK authorities.
In Ireland, slaughter figures for registered thoroughbreds are as follows:
2020: 1497
2021: 1058
2022: 1017
2023 (to 26/07/23): 688
