Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am thinking about farming friends whose children bought animals at the mart at quite a young age and looked after them until it was time to sell them, and also about young teenagers in urban areas. Smithfield horse fair is in my constituency. I have seen young teenagers from housing estates totally devoted to the animals they purchased but I have also seen the other side of the equation, which includes terrible animal cruelty. The key is to consider the welfare of the animal and the responsibility for that welfare rather than a blanket ban. I can see where the Minister is coming from and I have seen relevant examples at the Smithfield fair but believe it is terrible to penalise those under 16 who consider animal welfare when buying an animal.

In times of recession, it becomes more difficult to look after an animal. People take on animals and are unable to look after them, including in urban areas.