Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. Kirby for participating in today's meeting. His insight into the issues was frightening, given some of the content we heard.

We have a submission from the Department. I want to put it on the record. It states legislation is being prepared on this and it hopes to have it by the end of the year. This committee will have a very significant input into that legislation. Legislation would be fine we have to make sure that it is also implemented and enforced. The practice that Dr. Kirby outlined here has no place and cannot be tolerated.

We will have a meeting on horse welfare in the near future. All animal welfare issues are intertwined. When we have the opportunity, we will raise the issues that have been raised with us here with the Department. We will keep pressure on the Minister to ensure that the legislation gets priority and that legislation is introduced that will allow for the proper penalisation of these activities and hopefully outlawed to stop them occurring.

On behalf of the committee, I thank Dr. Kirby.