THE Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, launched Ireland’s new Animal Welfare Strategy 2026-2030, Moving Animal Welfare Forward, this week, setting out a comprehensive framework which has a renewed focus on stronger enforcement, improved traceability, education, research and collaboration.

The Minister said equine welfare and traceability are important components of the new strategy, reflecting the need for effective systems to identify and monitor horses and to address practical challenges associated with their management.