Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Welfare, Treatment and Traceability of Horses: Discussion
5:00 pm
Mr. Michael Sheahan:
There will be no lack of urgency on our part if somebody actually comes to us and says they have had a think about it and they want to open a slaughter plant to slaughter horses but we are not at that stage yet. I have had a couple of conversations myself with people who have made inquiries and while I am satisfied with their bona fides and good intent, they are not committing at this stage. They are still thinking about it. Certainly, if somebody does come forward, they will be treated with urgency but it may be the case that even for people with genuinely good intentions, modifications might be needed to their existing lines and so on, so I cannot predict how long it is going to take. There will not be a lack of urgency on our part but-----