A report on Ireland’s controls on horses and food safety has made various recommendations to improve the system with the relevant authority to make changes.
Professor Paddy Wall, an expert in veterinarian and food safety, was commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to perform an overview of the traceability system for horses. This followed a documentary “RTE Investigates” in June 2024 that emphasized the possible import of incorrectly identified horses into the food chain.
The program claimed that one slaughter facility in Ireland, Shannononide Foods, had processed horses that were not for human consumption. It seemed that horses stamped out of the food chain received new identities to get approval for slaughter. The broadcast brought concern about the export of possibly non -intended horses for slaughter outside Ireland.
It also claimed that some riding horses may have been exported with forged passports that have changed their identity, including changes in their age. If substantiated, such practices would jeopardize traceability and food safety according to the report.
Wall said that problems that were emphasized in the program, the Reform needs In the identification, traceability and registration systems of Ireland to tackle vulnerabilities that can make criminal activities and fraudulent practices possible. He said that if existing meshes are not tackled, the exposed problems could easily rise again.
Main recommendations
Horses excluded from the food chain and unsuitable for other purposes are actually made worthless at the end of their lives. This creates opportunities for fraudulent and illegal activities, the report said. Illegal slaughter in unauthorized facilities is also a concern, because meat can find its way to the supply chain, bypassing traceability and controls of food safety.
Horse Slaughter is forbidden in the United States in welfare areas, but many horses are shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. In Canada they are often held in Feedlots for a leaching period of six months, after which their meat can be exported to the European Union.
Wall mentioned eight head steps including improving data integration; Reinforcement of reporting and supervision; improving accessibility and transparency; Build awareness; improving compliance and strengthening enforcement; And promoting a European approach.
“By implementing these measures and promoting cooperation at cross-border and EU level, Ireland can not only strengthen the integrity of the horse sector, but also position itself as a leader in Pan-European improvements,” Wall said.
“Although problems with traceability, identification and horse meats of horses may not be a priority for many Member States, they must recognize the potential threat to the integrity of the entire EU food control system, as emphasized by the Horse meat scandal of 2013.”
Agency plan
In response to the report, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Navy published an action plan that in 2025 pursued legal changes at EU level for testing residues at SLAUGHTER and equality of standards for EU produced and imported horse meat.
A new horse inspection regime of random and risk-based inspections will be established and by 2026 checks on all living horses from EU member states or that are imported from other countries will be increased to 100 percent by Irish border control posts.
Martin Heydon, Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, welcomed the report.
“I look forward to acting at these proposals, so that we can ensure that the horrible scenes broadcast in the documentary of last June can never happen again. The assessment of Professor Wall emphasizes the wide range of stakeholders in our horse sector; from owners and breeders to veterinarians,” he said.
“The implementation of a new traceability system that is suitable for a sector who is committed to high -welfare standards and a bright future will depend on the willingness of anyone who is connected to horses involved in this plan and accept their responsibilities to ensure that their horses are traceable and safe.”
The report recommends strengthening identification, traceability and well -being. The aim is to guarantee the responsibility of the owner through better traceability, stricter enforcement of the Horse identification law and the use of science and technology for improved traceability and food safety.
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