Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Thanks Vice Chair.

The witnesses are welcome. The committee need to be honest with them on this. If we had an expert in animal welfare, we would be obliged then to have experts in all different things. What the committee has the flexibility to do is bring in experts like the witnesses who have been invited today or to bring in experts who would know the ins and outs of it to give all the committee members the information they require. That is how it would have to be done. We would not be allowed as a committee to have an individual person. That is my understanding, but I am open to correction. I do not have any problem with anybody giving us advice on welfare, but that is the way it should work.

I noted the witnesses' submission said we need to get away from this idea of slaughtering horses. Are they saying no horse should be slaughtered at all? If every horse in the country lived to a ripe old age, we would have an awful lot of them around. Will they give me a bit of insight on that please? I am trying to understand the statement.