Local authorities have yet to issue licences to horseowners

Dublin's local authorities have yet to issue a single licence to horse-owners under new regulations aimed at controlling wandering animals. South Dublin County Council said it intends to implement the new rules for the first time next week. It blamed problems with funding and technology for its failure to implement the by-laws, which were introduced three months ago.

The scheme has been in force for two months already in the Dublin Corporation area. Of an estimated 450 wandering horses in the area, 70 have been impounded. But the corporation said it had yet to receive any applications for a licence.

Fingal County Council has not yet introduced by-laws which would give effect to the Control of Horses Act, which became law last March.

Under the law, all urban horses must be licensed at a cost of £25 per animal. Each horse must be electronically tagged, with an identifying microchip implanted in its ear.

Dublin West TD Mr Austin Currie (FG) said the delays in implementing the law were "inexcusable" and "quite irresponsible . . . Every day I'm getting reports of these horses. It's quite scandalous."

He said the Government had made £2 million available for the implementation of the legislation, and that administrative problems should have been ironed out at this stage.

Mr Michael Coleman, senior administrative officer in the parks department of South Dublin County Council, rejected the criticism and said certain technical, financial and security problems had only just been overcome.

He said the council had to wait for the Department of Agriculture to sort out how horses would be electronically tagged and to confirm that sufficient finance would be made available for the scheme.

The council expects to spend over £350,000 next year on the problem of wandering horses, a dramatic increase on this year's allocation of £65,000.

Of about 3,500 wandering horses in Dublin city and county, an estimated 2,000 are in the South Dublin County Council area. The council has rounded up 1,150 horses so far this year, the majority of which were returned to their owners.

In the Dublin Corporation area, where a double-decker coach carrying almost 70 schoolboys was involved in an accident with an articulated lorry on Wednesday after two youths rode ponies onto the dual carriageway on the Chapelizod Bypass, 70 horses have been impounded since the by-laws came into force.

Mr Cyril Meehan, principal officer of the environmental department at Dublin Corporation, said most had been relocated in private stables outside the Dublin area; some were returned to owners who proved they had suitable accommodation, and "a couple were put down, mainly due to their condition".

He said the corporation was "very pleased" by the progress made so far, and "we are going to continue until the problem is eradicated".

Fingal County Council is currently considering draft by-laws. Under these, only urban areas will in the "control" zone. Rural areas are excluded, as are riding schools, stud farms and farmers.