Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the context of the broader exposé and the public service journalism conducted by RTÉ in that "Prime Time" programme the Department will give no comfort to anybody shown in that programme who is in breach of regulations. The content of the programme has been rightly commented on as being grotesquely offensive to people in the industry and to society in general, and in the context of animal welfare regulations.

The Department is examining all those issues in the operation of knackeries which serve a very important function in the broader agrifood sector, particularly for the livestock sector in respect of fallen animals. Insofar as there may be shortcomings in our own regime to deal in particular with the disposal of pets, which die for many reasons, including humane killing in veterinary practices for good reason, or fallen pets, road victims, we will consider all of that. It is somewhat reassuring that even in the programme there was evidence of Department inspections.

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