Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is good to have this presentation and I am glad we are discussing this issue. I pay tribute to the voluntary groups that do tremendous work on the welfare of animals. I cannot understand how people can abandon horses and leave them to starve and die. It is shocking and should not be tolerated anywhere.

Senator Conway-Walsh referred to programmes for children with special needs. That is an area with great potential for development. Animals could be moved to local authority land and looked after under some sort of employment scheme, and people could visit and spend time with them. Interaction with animals is very good for children, particularly those with disabilities. I would like to see such a project developed in local authorities because they have parcels of land close to towns and villages that will not be used for housing. Perhaps it could be a pilot scheme. This would be good for men, women, children and animals.