Coveney: Horse passports system will be radically streamlined
Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has said he intends to introduce a centralised system for issuing passports to horses.
It comes after 25 horses presented for slaughter at Ossary Meats in Co Offaly had irregularities relating to their passport and microchip identifications.
There is currently a number of licensing bodies for horse passports, but Minister Coveney said one central body would be made responsible for issuing the passports, and that there would be one database.
The passports and microchips are for identifying horses before they can enter the food chain.
Earlier, the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmer's Association called on Minister Coveney to take a tougher approach with meat processors who failed to meet traceability standards.
Inspectors at Ossary Meats found problems with 25 horses, including that markings on horses did not match passports and microchips and that some animals were older than was stated.
The plant is one of two abattoirs in Ireland licensed to slaughter the animals.
