Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 1

Written Answers. - Sheep Tagging.

John Perry

Ceist:

209 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties encountered with the availability of tags for the new national sheep tagging system implemented by his Department on 21 June; if he has satisfied himself that there is a sufficient number of outlets to deal with the demand for tags by farmers; the reason farmers are unable to make direct contact with the outlets; the measures he has put in place to deal with the delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20009/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The national sheep identification system came into operation on 21 June. 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. All sheep remaining on farms must be tagged at the latest by 15 December.

The tag numbers are issued centrally by my Department and tags are supplied by commercial operators. Eight tag suppliers have been approved to supply tags to farmers. This allows farmers a wide choice as to the type of tag they wish to use. Commercial competition has also ensured that tags are available at a reasonable price. The approved suppliers have now processed over 2.2 million tags and I am confident that the demand for tags can be met in full within a reasonable timeframe. These suppliers have been processing tags since the system went live on 25 May and they have a capacity to produce up to 230,000 tags a day. Some companies have prioritised the processing of the short-term tag which can only be used for movement directly to slaughter. This measure has considerably reduced the delay in issuing tags to farmers by three to four days.

John Perry

Ceist:

210 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will alleviate the tagging delays under the new sheep tagging system; if he will consider reinstating the old system under which the lambs were tagged at the marts by the factory representatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20010/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The national sheep identification system came into operation on 21 June. 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. All sheep remaining on farms must be tagged at the latest by 15 December. Ireland thus has, for the first time, full traceability for all sheep on an individual animal basis. This will be of significant benefit, most notably, in terms of disease control, marketing and in the implementation of the relevant recommendations of the Sheepmeat Forum which reported in October 1999.

The approved suppliers have now processed over 2.2 million tags and I am confident that the demand for tags can be met in full within a reasonable timeframe. These suppliers have been processing tags since the system went live on 25 May and they have a capacity to produce up to 230,000 tags per day. Some of the companies have prioritised the processing of the short-term tag, which can only be used for movement directly to slaughter. This measure has considerably reduced the delay in issuing tags to farmers by three to four days.