Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have proposed a way to deal with this, but I am in the hands of the committee. Unfortunately, we got off to the wrong start. I said I would deal with the essence of what was sought in amendment No. 26, the outlawing of a series of practices that the Deputies consider unacceptable. I was going to explain that I did not agree with such an approach and set out my reasons. For example, I was going to speak about the circumstances in which the snaring of badgers was legal and the circumstances in which it was illegal, with reference to its role in the eradication of TB. I was going to point out that I hoped to move to a badger vaccination programme, rather than a badger culling programme, in the not too distant future. I wanted to indicate the reason the badger culling programme had been such a significant factor in the reduction of the incidence of TB in Ireland.

In the case of fur farming, about which some people are concerned because they think it is cruel, I wanted to remind the committee that I had asked officials in my Department to compile a report on the issue. I was going to read some of the recommendations made in the report in order that the Deputies would understand where I was coming from.

In the case of hare coursing, I had planned to set out a series of reassurances. I appreciate that no reassurances are acceptable to the Deputies who think it should be banned. While they are entitled to their view, the committee is entitled to hear the details of the Government's approach to hare coursing and the other issues raised in the amendments, but we will not have a chance to do all of that now.

I have some sympathy for one or two of the amendments on the list.

For example, amendment No. 92, in the name of Deputy Pringle, concerns the requirement for the gathering and collection of data and making data available to the public. He is seeking to add to that a number of categories that the Minister could consider in regard to the future data collection. I am not saying I agree with everything he is seeking but I can understand the spirit of what he has said and perhaps we can try to accommodate that in an amendment on Report Stage.

It is important for me to be upfront. Amendment No. 26 seeks to ban hare coursing and the use of animals in sporting events which may result in physical suffering. I believe that is included in the performance section already in regard to ensuring animals are not on display or performing in a way that is cruel. In the section on cruelty we have made a specific distinction in regard to hunting and so on. The Deputy also seeks a ban on hunting, a ban on the shooting of wild birds, except for the purposes of disease control, a ban on the use of certain traps, a ban on the use of ferrets for the hunting of animals, a ban on badger culling, a ban on farming of mink or foxes for their fur and the use of wild animals in circus performances. Some of his concerns are being addressed in other parts of the Bill around general animal welfare standards, what is prohibited in terms of animal cruelty and obligations in terms of looking after one's animals but an outright ban for all these sectors is not in place. Badger culling and the use of wire snares to capture badgers is absolutely illegal. The culling of badgers happens in as controlled a way as we can make it. The types of snares used are specifically designed to ensure damage to the animal is minimised when it is being caught in order that it can be put down in as acceptable a way as possible.

I would like to move on to a vaccination programme when I get advice that it makes sense to do it. Ultimately, there are broader issues around TB that need to be dealt with. Likewise, in regard to fox hunting, there are lines in the legislation around acceptable codes of conduct. We will get to those when we move to the various sections.

I am not accepting amendment No. 26. Many of the other amendments are linked to amendment No. 26, amendment No. 92 concerns a different issue and, perhaps, one or two of the others are different. My initial reaction to amendment No. 26, which is the heart of this group of amendments, is that I cannot accept it but I want to read into the record what the Government is doing in trying to improve or support standards already in place or that have been put in place in the various areas. I hope to get a chance to do that on the next day.