Mr. Garrett Shine:

I will deal with a number of technical questions. By way of explanation as a veterinary officer, I am at the coalface dealing with the dogs and the horses for my sins.

Senator Conway-Walsh asked about the holding period for horses. It is quite unusual that while we have a principal Act, it defers to individual by-laws when it comes to the actual holding or detention period. That can vary, technically, from county to county which is probably not ideal. In our submission for the review of the Act we would like to see the holding period brought back into the principal Act so that there is a common holding period countrywide. This would make it more workable.