Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

It is with a heavy heart that I seek legislation to abolish the Smithfield horse fair. My colleagues and I in Dublin Central and my former colleagues on Dublin City Council have been dealing with the matter for a number of years. The Minister would have known about this when he was a member of Dublin City Council.

The fair in Smithfield has been in existence for centuries. Cattle, vegetables, hay and fruit were traded in Smithfield and the fish market was just down the road. All of this was an integral part of the area and the tradition of trading activity is a long one. The horse fair is a more recent feature but nevertheless has trading rights in the area.

Dublin City Council made major investment in the area through the Heritage Area Rejuvenation Project, HARP, which changed a derelict part of the inner city into an area with quite an amount of residential and retail property. The city council invested in the area and encouraged private investment to develop the area. At present, €5 million is being spent on further enhancement. Quite a number of residents live in Smithfield and there is an amount of retail activity.

However, the area has been dogged by certain difficulties, one of which is the horse fair. We sought to deal with some of these difficulties through the Control of Horses Act 1996. We sought alternative accommodation for the horse fair and set up an equestrian centre in Ballyfermot.

Nevertheless, the problem remains. The fair has degenerated to an unacceptable degree. There have been serious problems which pose a danger to life and limb and to animal welfare. The space is more constricted than in the past and will be further constricted by the enhancement works that are taking place. We must accept that one cannot have a major horse fair in the heart of the capital city, with horses streaming in from different suburban areas. Some come on foot along the streets and are taken away in the same fashion, with all that entails for the roads and pavements.

I ask the Minister to look at the possibility of finding an alternative site, although it is difficult to see where that alternative site can be found. It is time for this House to decide whether Smithfield is an appropriate location for horse trading, which is in itself a desirable activity and takes places in many parts of the country. If we decide Smithfield is not an appropriate location, and all the arguments seem to be to that effect, we should move speedily, introduce legislation and abolish the present horse fair in Smithfield.

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