Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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335. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department can have confidence in the standards and practices of the equine slaughter industry given a horse supposedly slaughtered in 2017 was found to be alive in 2018, according to media reports; if he will publish the reports and actions taken individually by his Department and in association with the FSAI on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27838/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Arising from information provided to my Department in May 2024 an investigation into activities involving the supply of equines for slaughter is in progress. Assistance and support is being provided by An Garda Síochána. As the investigation is on-going I am not in a position to comment further.

I can confirm however that the operation of a slaughter plant is now fully suspended. A collective effort is being made by the EU Commission and Member States to investigate European-wide allegations and to further improve the equine traceability system. My Department is wholly committed to assisting in that process. My Department and the FSAI along with other Member States attended the EU Agri-Food Fraud Network meeting earlier this week to consider from an EU perspective the issues raised in the RTÉ programme.