Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this debate on animal welfare in Ireland, which is very timely. This is one matter in which I have been very involved, along with Deputies such as Deputy O'Sullivan. We have relatively progressive legislation on the Statute Book but despite this we are seeing an increasing number of reports of mistreatment and abuse of animals. It is clear there is a massive gap in resourcing when it comes to enforcement. Organisations such as the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals rely on public donations for up to 90% of their funding.

I read the People Before Profit manifesto on animal welfare, which is a really good document, and I will point out three or four elements as I do not have the time to discuss it all. It seeks a full audit of animal welfare issues in Ireland and stricter punishment and serious fines for those who abuse animals for commercial purposes. It seeks promotion of responsible pet ownership through the school curriculum and the introduction of measures requiring all animals but especially pigs and poultry to be provided with adequate space, natural light and opportunities to carry out natural behaviours.

There is one issue I want to speak of tonight that is very close to my heart. It is the matter of horse welfare, particularly in an urban environment. When I was a councillor on South Dublin County Council, I was shocked, to understate it, by the number of horses which were impounded, neglected and destroyed. Over the past ten years, tens of thousands of horses have been destroyed in this country. Over a period of four years South Dublin County Council saw up to 1,000 horses destroyed at the cost of approximately €1 million to the taxpayer. As a person who loves horses and all animals, I was shocked by this wanton neglect and cruelty, particularly in a country where the horse is an esteemed creature. I was taken aback by those figures, which can be depressing. As a councillor I wanted to try to do something about it. Over the years the figures have fluctuated. They have gone down a little but they are still way too high.

The Minister was in Clondalkin in February for the opening of the Clondalkin Equine Club. It gives young horse owners a place to call their own and it is the first social horse project in Ireland where young horse owners can keep their horses in an urban environment. It is a really good project and although it is not perfect by any means, we are trying to promote education and responsibility in equine matters, as well as everything that comes with it. I have seen the worst equine neglect one could imagine but I have also seen the best equine good practice, and this should be promoted through other county councils around the country. It is a good project.

There should be more enforcement to tackle people who neglect horses. Some people should not even own a goldfish, never mind a horse. The majority of people who own horses are responsible and take good care of those animals. There are a small minority of people who are unscrupulous. They are dealers of horses and they do not care about horses, communities that keep horses well or anybody else. Enforcement measures should be taken against them through the police, etc. The Control of Horses Act 1996 is good legislation but it is not enforced.

Who was the last person to be sent to jail for abusing, neglecting or abandoning of a horse, or for dealing in horses? I cannot think of any examples.

The Clondalkin Equine Project is a really good project. There is something amazing about seeing a young person with an animal. I am not a horse owner, but it is great to see a young person bonding with a horse. They get an education from a horse. The project is not perfect by any means, but what was happening before was not acceptable and now at least we are trying to address the issue. The people who run the equine club have gone down to Limerick and around different parts of the country to promote the idea of a social horse project. Orphan horse ownership is not going to be a panacea, but it is better than what is happening at the moment, where horses are impounded by the council and destroyed and the horse owners and taxpayers are losing out.

I attended protests last week about the live exports of farm animals and hare coursing. Hare coursing is bizarre. More than 100 Deputies in this Chamber support hare coursing. I find it bizarre that somebody can get pleasure from chasing a hare around. It is completely alien to me. As long as we live in a society that is profit driven, we will always have cruelty. Industrialised farming is abhorrent, and as long as we live in a profit-driven society, cruelty to animals will exist. People have to speak up for animals. We need a society where animals and human beings try to co-exist without wanton cruelty. Most people are not cruel to their animals. We live in a country that loves animals, but a system is in place where industrialised farming kills animals horribly. We have to try to end it.

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