Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Dec 2003

Vol. 576 No. 5

Written Answers. - Sheep Identification Scheme.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

202 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will seek flock tagging at the Council of Ministers' talks on 16 and 17 December 2003, rather than the individual animal case as presently is the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29928/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh):

I have placed a high priority on improving Ireland's animal identification and traceability systems and I am determined to ensure that Ireland operates to the highest standards of disease monitoring and control, and remains at the forefront in terms of consumer assurance and food safety. In the wake of the foot and mouth disease crisis of 2001, and against a backdrop of earlier unsuccessful efforts in this regard, I introduced a comprehensive individual sheep identification system, the national sheep identification system, NSIS, which provides full individual identification and traceability of sheep from farm of origin to carcass and which is designed to be multi-functional, facilitating aspects such as flock management, consumer assurance and disease monitoring and control. In the latter regard, the foot and mouth disease crisis underscored the potential damage to which our economy and the agriculture sector would be exposed in the event of serious disease outbreaks if shortcomings in animal identification and traceability were not addressed. Based on monitoring of NSIS and feedback to my Department from various quarters since 2001, I am satisfied that all elements of NSIS are now firmly bedded in across the sheep sector and working well. I have, however, made it clear consistently that I am always willing to enhance and improve NSIS and to address any operational difficulties which might arise, while maintaining its key components.

A new harmonised system of identification for the whole of the European Union has been proposed by the EU Commission. The current proposals provide that there will be electronic individual identification of sheep from January 2008, together with a central movement database recording movements on a batch basis. The implementation date is subject to review following a Commission report in 2006. For the interim period it is proposed that all sheep be double tagged and identified individually, but that all recording would be on a flock basis, in line with the vote of the European Parliament.

It is anticipated that the final form of the proposal, on which the Italian Presidency is working and which it hopes to bring before the December Council of Agriculture Ministers, will afford member states which already have systems in place offering a higher level of traceability than would be the case under the interim period system the option of retaining their own systems until the advent of electronic identification in a few years from now.

I support the broad principle which underlies these proposals. In particular, I believe that it is necessary to have in place a robust, harmonised system of sheep identification backed up with good record-keeping allowing full traceability of animal movements at all times. I have always been in favour of making use of new and efficient technologies to achieve this end, subject of course to practicalities and cost-effectiveness and I would be very anxious that Ireland and other member states would be in a position to move at the earliest possible date to an electronic system. In the interim, however, I believe that the system now in place and operating throughout the Irish sheep sector will continue to afford Ireland the level of protection and assurance with regard to both identification and traceability which I believe is strategically appropriate to this country.

I have no plans, therefore, to dismantle NSIS and roll back the progress which has been made in this area since 2001, only to see Irish sheep farmers, marts, meat processors, etc. being asked a few years from now to once again reinstate and accommodate individual identification and traceability, by the 2008 target date for the introduction of electronic systems. However as I stated before, I am willing to examine and address aspects relating to the operation of NSIS in so far as these be addressed within the community system that is put in place.