Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is difficult to get pounds to take them. I know they have to have the horse put down after a certain period of time if it has not recovered, which reduces the bill. This was not in the recent past, but I have seen the bill rise substantially where several animals are impounded. Could the Minister explain what power the local authority has where the chip is concerned? This is a great mystery. I am not against people having horses, but I am against people having horses and not looking after them. What exactly is the procedure where horses are left roaming around or are mistreated? Do local authorities have the power to check, and do they have the necessary funding? There has always been confusion about the line of responsibility.