Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The issue of feral cats is not straightforward because there are many cats that are effectively wild animals. They do not have owners and live and breed in the wild. However, that does not mean we do not have a responsibility towards them. They are not classified as protected animals in the Bill, but section 12 which prohibits animal cruelty applies to wild animals, as well as to protected animals. Of course, there are extra legal obligations on the owners of protected animals, many of which we have discussed. However, there are also strong protections in the Bill for wild animals in terms of prohibiting cruelty and people's responsibility towards wild animals. That applies to feral cats in terms of how they can be trapped. Let us be clear that they are not considered to be vermin. They are considered to be wild animals in terms of the legal classifications outlined in the Bill. That poses problems because anyone who knows rural Ireland as well as most Deputies knows that there are many farmyards on which essentially there are semi-wild cats breeding in an uncontrolled fashion in a barn or sheds. As a result, there are far more kittens than one would otherwise want and semi-domestic and semi-wild cats roaming around the place. When one has suburban populations at the edges of the countryside, these cats find their way into an urban environment and there is then an issue around reporting feral cats and problems linked with them.

I am not sure how we can deal with that issue by legislative means. Obviously we cannot call for the micro-chipping of all wild cats in the country as well as domesticated cats as this would be impossible. We need to be practical. However, we may need to be more proactive such as involving local authorities and community organisations in the catch-neuter-release programmes. The Department already provides funding support for that activity but we may need to do more. If I were to attempt to legislate on the subject of feral cats, I would create more problems than I would solve. We need to adopt a pragmatic response such as supporting welfare organisations and local authorities. I would like to be informed if it is the case that companies are being hired to undertake pest control and are putting down large numbers of cats inappropriately. The Department would follow up on any such reports.

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