Ministers Muir and Heydon welcome all-island approach to equine traceability

Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir MLA, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, have welcomed the alignment of equine traceability rules in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland relating to equine holding numbers.

It is a legal requirement under the EU Animal Health Law (AHL) that all establishments where equines are kept, must be registered with the competent authority. This means anyone responsible for an establishment (land or holdings) where equines are kept, must register that establishment with the relevant Government Department.

Equine operators in the Republic of Ireland have been required to quote an equine premises registration number (EPRN) when applying for an equine passport since 2020. From 1 February 2026, this requirement now also applies to operators in Northern Ireland. Applicants for equine passports resident in Northern Ireland will need to provide an Equine Establishment Number (EEN).

Ministers Muir and Heydon highlighted the importance of regulatory alignment between their jurisdictions if robust equine traceability is to be achieved. Minister Heydon welcomed the initiative in the context of the all-island nature of the Irish equine sector: “The Irish horse industry in Ireland and Northern Ireland is closely integrated through trade, breeding and competition with frequent cross-border movement for racing, sales, training and veterinary care. The sector benefits from this all-island approach and it is appropriate that the approach extends to traceability requirements. Minister Muir and I look forward to working together to support the equine sector.”

Minister Muir stated that making Equine Establishment Numbers for equine keepers a mandatory requirement is a significant milestone in Northern Ireland's equine traceability journey: “The importance a country places on traceability is one of the clearest indicators of the importance it places on the health and welfare of its animals. Strong traceability is needed to protect the future of our equine sector, and this cannot be achieved without North-South Cooperation. I welcome the introduction of mandatory registration of equine establishments in Northern Ireland. Making EENs a mandatory requirement will form the foundation of Northern Ireland's equine traceability system, and I look forward to building on this foundation to ensure the health and welfare of our horses.”

Both Ministers emphasised the importance of continued cooperation between the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to address shared challenges and opportunities. The unique premises identification systems will support ongoing work to maintain the highest standards in equine health and biosecurity, reflecting the shared values and priorities of both administrations.

Notes to editors:

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

1. Registration of equine establishments is a legal requirement under Article 84 of the EU Animal Health Law (AHL); on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law'). More details at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content.
2. The operator of the establishment where equines are kept must register their establishment, whether or not they are the owner of the equines kept there.
3. Further information on horse passports (called a Single Lifetime Identification Documents under statute) can be found at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/single-lifetime-identification-document-equines-horse-passports.
4. Questions and answers are available at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/registration-equine-establishments-questions-and-answers.

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

1. Equine Premises Registration Numbers have been a legal requirement for horse keepers in Ireland since 2014 and have been required for the application for an equine passport since 2020.
2. Minister Martin Heydon published an action plan to deliver the reforms proposed in the Wall Report on Equine Traceability and Welfare in March 2025. Fundamental to the Minister's plan to deliver an improved equine traceability is a new central equine database linking horses to their equine premises registration number. Over time only horses linked on the database to an EPRN will be able to be presented for sale, show or export. The new database is scheduled to launch before the end of the year.