Vol. 539 No. 1
45 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the progress made to date by his Department in implementing the new sheep tagging regime; if tagging occurred on the start date of 21 June 2001; when all sheep will be tagged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18802/01]
The national sheep identification scheme (NSIS) came into operation on 21 June and more than two million tags have been processed for flock-owners. From that date all sheep must be tagged on movement off farm with a tag bearing the flock number of the farm and an individual number. This information is being recorded in sheep slaughter plants and, under the terms of the NSIS, must be shown on a label on the finished carcass. All sheep remaining on farms must be tagged at the latest by 15 December. Ireland therefore has full traceability for sheep on an individual animal basis, for the first time. This will be of significant benefit in terms of disease control, marketing and the implementation of the recommendations of the sheepmeat forum which reported in October 1999.
