Dillon criticises tagging system
He was anxious that Ireland and other member states move to an electronic system but, up to January 2008, all Irish sheep will be double tagged and identified individually, with all recording on a flock basis, in line with the vote of the European Parliament.
IFA President John Dillon criticised Minister Walsh for voting in the Council of Ministers for a complex and bureaucratic system of sheep tagging and registration, which had been rejected out of hand by the European Parliament and by Irish sheep farmers.
He said the current system of sheep identification operated by the Department was not working, was “adding no value”, and was driving farmers out of the sheep sector.
Dermot Kelly of Macra na Feirme said electronic tagging in 2008 will be even more stringent and expensive for farmers than the current Irish system.
ICSA president Malcolm Thompson has said that double tagging will further discourage development of the EU sheep meat industry.
It could double the labour and costs for Irish farmers and prevent them from exploiting the already undersupplied EU sheep meat market.
An administrative nightmare on sheep farms was predicted by Dermot Moynihan, Chairperson, ICMSA Sheep Committee.
He said the new regulation is unnecessary and overly complicated for farmers.
Portugal, Spain and Greece have called for EU financial aid to help fund the cost of tagging.
However, the European Commission says the rural development fund already provides sufficient cash.
