Vol. 486 No. 6
158 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the new calf tagging system is being introduced on a county by county basis; if so, if he will provide the order of counties for the introduction in particular when it will be introduced in County Mayo. [3051/98]
Mullinahone Co-op commenced distributing the current automatic supply of eartags to farmers in early January. As was the case of supply in 1996 and 1997, tags were supplied first to farmers in the main dairying counties in the southern part of the country. All farmers who under the predictive system are deemed to require supplies of tags will receive tags by mid-February. The current position regarding the distribution of eartags is as follows: Tags had been issued to farmers in the following counties by Friday 6 February 1998: Cork, Clare, Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, Tipperary, Meath, Westmeath, Wicklow, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Louth and Offaly.
Tags are due to be issued to farmers in the following counties by next Friday: Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Roscommon and Sligo.
As I have previously informed the Deputy, arrangements have also been in place to provide emergency supplies of tags to farmers who demonstrate an urgent need to move calves born on the holding to sale or on animal health and welfare grounds.
