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

I thank members for the spirit with which they are approaching these issues. I appreciate that people have strong opinions in this area but I am glad the discussion has not turned into a slanging match.

I do not like fur farming. I would rather it was not practised but the issue is whether we should make it illegal. As a Minister and a legislator, I have to take account of the impact of the decisions I make on livelihoods, industries and acceptable standards internationally.

With regard to Deputy Ó Cuív's comments, whether somebody should be allowed to produce fur on a farm legally should not necessarily be determined by whether I find that a tasteful method of farming. The issue is whether we are applying the same standards we apply to the production of food and farming practices. The legislation proposes to provide a higher level of inspection of fur farming because many people have more concerns about that type of farming than about other types. Through a voluntary code of practice and-or regulation to make the code enforceable in law, which could be taken into account in a court of law but not necessarily used to determine a legal outcome, we will examine making sure Ireland represents best practice in stocking rates in cages, the size of cages and the way in which animals are killed. If the Deputy considers pig or poultry killing, there is nothing pleasant about killing an animal whether or not it is for food. Rules, regulations and codes must be implemented to minimise pain and suffering but it is still a gruesome business for anyone who has visited an abattoir or a factory. This is about imposing standards to ensure we reduce unnecessary pain and suffering while, at the same time, allowing an industry to be maintained.

I will examine the ways in which mink are killed. My understand is they are gassed. If there are more humane ways to do this, we will consider that and, if necessary, we will require that. That is happening under EU legislation anyway. For example, at European and domestic level, battery cages have been done away with on poultry farms. Provision has been made for more space and perches for chickens to create a more humane environment. We are doing the same in pig farming as we do away with the tethering of breeding sows. Significant money has been put into grant aiding pig farmers to meet the new regulations next January to have loose housing for breeding sows. I strongly stand over the Department's standard setting and implementation of the rules for animal welfare and farming generally and we will do the same for fur farming. If fur farming is an exception, we will watch it even more closely because of the concerns many people have with the sector. Should we just ban it because people will not buy fur products as they do not want to support the industry? That is their entitlement. It is a consumer decision but I do not agree that should result in the banning of the industry. That is where I am coming from.

We will move to a vaccination programme for badgers as soon as we can. It will be a positive story when it happens. It was stated this would cost the taxpayer €70 million. What is costing the taxpayer is the incidence of TB and every time we take a reactor out of a herd or shut down a herd preventing a farmer from taking cattle to the market because of a TB outbreak, including the clampdown on neighbouring herds, it costs the farming sector and the national purse a great deal of money every year. It will cost approximately €40 million to compensate farmers for taking reactors out of their herds and to run the eradication scheme this year. Four years ago, the figure was €60 million. We have, therefore, saved in excess of €20 million over the past four years because we have been successful in reducing the incidence of TB in our herds and we will continue to do that. By taking a targeted approach on the basis of independent advice from UCD, which recommends this approach because it works, and constant monitoring both inside and outside the Department confirming year after year that it works, we are saving the taxpayer significant amounts and we are also improving the reputation of the quality of food production in Ireland. That is an important target, to which we should be committed. As soon as we can switch from the culling of badgers, albeit as humanely as possible because it still involves suffering, to a vaccination programme, we will. The programmes in the UK are not working. If members can provide evidence to the contrary, I will happily examine it. I am not closed to this but I will go on the advice of officials and the independent assessments and numbers I am seeing regarding the incidence of TB. I have a responsibility to farmers and to the food industry to continue along the road we are on.

I have never attended a coursing meeting. I did not grow up in the tradition of coursing but I would like to go to Clonmel to see it for myself.