Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming in today. I will focus my question on two or three aspects. First, for once and for all, we need a straight answer in terms of the three farms they are representing here today. How many mink are on these farms? I refer to the exact numbers of mink that are currently on these farms.

I read a number of newspaper clippings on mink, which I downloaded yesterday. This was in the context of both Covid and the Denmark issues that the witnesses would be familiar with. It suggested there are 120,000 in Ireland. That is only earlier this year. That may be incorrect. I want to start from that point.

The next point is this is Government policy. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party have agreed in their programme for Government to phase out mink farms. That is the way it is. It is a numbers game in the House, crude and all as it is. They are in the majority. They will support this. They will see this through. I am merely trying to be pragmatic. I am trying to be honest and upfront with the witnesses. It will happen.

Now it is a question of their compensation package. They make a strong case for their compensation package and I would be supportive of that. Also, I am very disappointed to hear, besides the owners, that the workers will end up walking away with the basic redundancy package. That is simply not good enough for committed workers who have worked in this farming sector.

The next real issue is that the most emails and representations I have received on this controversy are around the animal welfare aspect. I took the time to check out the European Communities (Welfare of farmed animals) Regulations on the culling of mink and other animals. The suggested recommendations from this European paper which I received yesterday state permitted methods consist of the use of mechanical instruments which would penetrate the brain, an overdose of a drug of anaesthetic properties, electrocution by cardiac arrest, exposure to carbon monoxide, exposure to chloroform and exposure to carbon dioxide. That is dramatic and headlining stuff. It is of concern to people. Clearly, that is on the record as being permitted. We are talking about culling a large number of animals. What methods do the witnesses use? Are they familiar with any of these methods? Have they used any of these methods? We need to know whether they are familiar with them, whether they have used them, what their preferred option is and how would they envisage culling these animals. Clearly, we cannot release them into the wild and we have to be responsible in how we manage them. I suppose that brings a dose of realism into this debate.

Having talked to the people in government, my view is they are hell-bent on phasing out this trade. That is the decision they have made. That is their political prerogative. It will happen. My two issues are the animal welfare aspect we need to address and a proper, realistic and fair compensation package for everyone involved in this industry.