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Brexit Preparations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 February 2019

Tuesday, 5 February 2019

Ceisteanna (485)

Lisa Chambers

Ceist:

485. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans that have been developed to assist the equine industry in the event of a no-deal Brexit, in particular plans to address issues relating to the landbridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5041/19]

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Freagraí scríofa

The current position is that EU rules on the movement of equidae between EU Member States require that the animals being moved are inspected by an official veterinarian and accompanied by a veterinary health certificate issued under the EU TRACES system and a horse passport issued by an approved horse passport issuing body.

However, these rules also allow Member States which have implemented alternative but equivalent health control systems in their respective territories, to grant one another derogations from the standard movement rules. The derogation provided for under Community rules on the movement of equidae is applicable to movements between EU Member States only. It is not inclusive of movements between the EU and Third Countries.

Currently Ireland is part of a Tripartite Agreement (TPA), along with the UK and France which allows for the movement and trade of horses between the three countries without undergoing veterinary inspections and without health certificates. As the TPA is based on EU legislation on the movement of horses within the EU, the UK cannot be part of the Agreement once it becomes a Third Country.

The current focus of our 'no deal' contingency planning is on the arrangements that will be necessary for the Department to fulfil its legal obligations with respect to import controls on live animals and agri food products as efficiently as possible while also ensuring the minimum possible disruption to trading arrangements.

As part of this planning we are upgrading existing Border Inspection Posts (BIPs) and developing additional BIPs to cater for the increased volume of inspections necessary, including in respect of equines being imported from the UK, and making arrangements to facilitate the certification of horses to the UK as necessary. Horses moving via the UK landbridge will do so in accordance with Customs internal transit rules.

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