Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Okay, the Deputy is happy enough with that. No. R2698 gives the figures for horses slaughtered anyway. There has been a slight reduction. It went from 2,256 four years ago to 1,987 last year. The interesting thing about it is it sets out that "in a slaughter plant killing and related operations can only be [carried] out by persons with the appropriate level of competence”. It also places the responsibility on the business operators, who could be the same people. These activities are "only carried out by persons holding a certificate of competence”. The "plant operatives must have undergone an approved course in animal welfare". They must get a certificate of competence from the Department. To obtain that, they must enclose a written declaration that they have "committed no serious infringement of EU or national law on the protection of animals in the three years preceding". When the Department is in next week, we should raise this.