Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
887. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in addressing the issue of wandering, unchipped horses in urban settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9519/26]
View answerUnder the Control of Horses Act 1996, local Authorities may take a range of actions in relation to equines wandering in urban settings. My Department provides funding to local authorities as a contribution towards the costs incurred by them in the operation of the Control of Horses Act, 1996. Enforcement of the Act is a matter for the relevant local authority
The rules in relation to equine identification are set down in EU Regulation 2016/429 as transposed into Irish law by the European Union (Animal Identification and Tracing) Regulations, S.I. 254 of 2023. In accordance with this legislation, horses must be identified by an injectable transponder (microchip) and a single lifetime identification document, known as an equine passport. It is an offence under S.I. 254 of 2023 not to comply with these requirements and a person who commits this offence is liable on summary conviction, to a class A fine, or on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €500,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years, or to both.
Ensuring a horse is properly identified is a basic and essential responsibility of ownership, underpinning as it does our traceability system. Robust traceability is vital to ensuring horse owners and keepers are accountable for the welfare of their horses.
Improving equine traceability is a priority for my Department and substantial progress has been made in this regard with the implementation of my action plan based on the recommendations in Professor Paddy Wall's report. The new central equine database represents a major milestone as it links horses to their premises and their operators and is a big step forward in ensuring owner accountability. Over time, I am confident that improvements such as this will enhance enforcement capability and limit the scope for individuals to evade their legal obligations to ensure their horse is properly identified.
