IN the issue of Saturday, May 29th, Isabel Hurley wrote: “Record funding of €3.2 million to support over 100 organisations nationwide underpin the Government’s continuing legislative efforts to tackle animal welfare issues, while an equine national census will be undertaken by the end of this year.

“New legislation is also in the works to update and replace the Control of Horses Act 1996 while further development of the Department of Agriculture, Food and The Marine’s equine central database is also being undertaken.”

Hurley followed up in July: “Work is ongoing at the Department of Agriculture, Food and The Marine, on a review of equine identification and traceability with an equine census expected to be finalised by the end of 2021.”

The need for such became more urgent when members of the Dail’s agricultural committee viewed the BBC’s Panorama programme on a horse slaughter plant in England and the news of horses being sent for slaughter with multiple passports and incorrect microchips.

The deadline for the equine census was December 17th but, following some technical difficulties with the online system, this has been extended to Monday, January 17, 2022.

During the year, Hurley informed readers that “fewer than 50 prosecutions for equine cruelty have taken place nationally over the last three years”. In December, we learned that “there has been a dramatic reduction in the number of stray horses seized nationally for 2020 with almost a fivefold reduction recorded.”

In the same month we read that “Equine charities are among 98 animal welfare organisations set to benefit from record funding of almost €4 million announced this week by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD (FF).