James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

All I got from Fianna Fáil and the Tánaiste yesterday were sniggers when I tried to raise the issue. We should have sympathy for the families in Longford which will suffer if this firm goes out of business.

Given the phrase "the Minister dismissed claims that the latest piece of animal welfare legislation has not been altered" used by the media yesterday to describe the Minister's reluctance to meet the greyhound and hunting lobby half-way, we do not so much see bureaucracy as dictatorship. In some strange legacy-building exercise, the Minister is determined to alienate the rural population and push through "anti-country pursuits" legislation. While doing so he is immune to the destruction of the rural way of life and traditions, tourism and business ventures.

In another blow to the sport, hunting packs will not be exempt in the new legislation. A small concession has been made in so far as hunt masters will not have to pay fees and the timescale during which bitches can breed will be spread over three years rather than one. There is no denying that this legislation will prevent further horrific stories of the abuses of "puppy farms", designer puppies or other animal cruelty. However, as in all these matters, the legislation before the House is excessive and, in providing protection, works against ordinary, decent dog breeders and dog owners.

Some common sense would go a long way towards tempering the more glaring problems relating to the Bill. It may be desirable, in the interests of consistency with other legislation relating to animals - particularly that which deals with the sex classification of farm animals - to note that where the status or classification of a female bovine is of importance in the context of the administration or enforcement of provisions in the relevant regulation, a cow is defined as a female bovine that has calved at least once. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with reference to the carcass classification rules and the suckler cow scheme, will be able to confirm this.

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