Vol. 538 No. 3
173 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will ensure that factories are legally bound to show traceability on lambs in the same way that sheep farmers are legally bound to tag their animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18144/01]
All parties involved in the national sheep identification system – NSIS – producers, marts and meat companies will be legally obliged to ensure full traceability under the terms of the system. From the 21 June 2001 producers will have to tag their sheep prior to movement and record details of all sheep movements to and from their holdings. Marts will be obliged to keep records of all sheep movements through their premises. Processors will be required to accept only sheep which are properly tagged and documented in accordance with NSIS, to record the details of all sheep accepted for slaughter and to show the individual sheep tag number on the finished carcass.
Ireland will thus, for the first time, have full traceability for all sheep, on an individual animal basis. This will be of significant benefit, most notably in terms of disease control, quality and consumer assurance, marketing and in the implementation of the relevant recommendations of the sheep meat forum, which reported in October 1999.
