Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join fellow committee members in thanking the Department and local government officials for attending to discuss this issue. Much more work is needed to achieve more co-ordination and resources to ensure this issue is better addressed. Today's meeting is useful in that we can look at the gaps and outstanding issues. My colleagues have covered many of the issues but I have a slightly tangential question on the change in stocking criteria for areas of natural constraint, which was introduced in the past year. I am particularly interested in the change in the categorisation of donkeys, although I accept that today's discussion is primarily focused on horses. However, given that many of the witnesses come from an animal welfare background, I would like to use this opportunity to ask them to elaborate further on that change. People do not see merit in it because donkeys are kept well. A welfare rationale was given for that particular decision. I have tabled parliamentary questions on the issue but we have not had an opportunity to tease it out. I would appreciate, therefore, if the witnesses could flesh out the background to the change and indicate whether it was necessary because a number of farmers do not see the rationale behind it.