Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I assume the report referred to by the Deputy is that which my Department undertook to provide in response to issues raised at the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council, FAWAC. FAWAC includes representatives from farm organisations, animal welfare groups, the veterinary profession, animal transporters and others with an interest in animal welfare. The council provides a forum in which interests with diverse views have the opportunity to meet, discuss each other's positions and reach consensus on animal welfare issues which can inform public policy.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that veterinary officials from my Department assessed the on-farm slaughter of mink during the recent slaughter season. The resultant report is not yet complete. It is my expectation that this report will be made available to FAWAC by the end of April and I will make it available to the Deputy when it is made available to me.

Fur farming is a legitimate farming activity in this country. Under the Musk Rats Act 1933 (Application to Mink) Order 1965, the keeping of mink is prohibited except under licence obtained from my Department. Licences are issued under this legislation only if the applicant, following an inspection, is found to be compliant with a number of key conditions.

Licensed fur farms are also inspected to assess compliance with the Council of Europe recommendations concerning fur animals and Council Directive 98/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. These farms may only utilise slaughter methods permitted under the Sixth Schedule of the European Communities (Protection of Animals at Time of Slaughter) Regulations 1995.

The Deputy should note the Irish fur industry is fully aware of animal welfare requirements and it has displayed a willingness to comply with the requirements of the Department. Given that the licensed fur farms operating in this country meet current national and EU requirements, no reason exists to ban what is, after all, a legitimate farming activity which is permitted in the greater majority of EU member states. It is my belief that a ban on fur farming would mean that Ireland's market share would be taken up by another fur producing country. Therefore, a ban would not serve any practical purpose.

See this speech in context