Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I agree with him. Anybody who watched that programme last night could not be anything but shocked, appalled and sickened to their core at the distressing images that were presented. This morning I am struggling to find out some information. The Minister may be able to shed some light on it. This is the only licensed abattoir in the State. Is it still operating? Is it business as usual? Is this company still operating this abattoir this week? Will there be slaughtering of animals there? Does the Department of agriculture still only have supervision of the slaughterhouse? Is it the case that it does not have oversight of the building located just a couple of yards away in which the cruelty was happening and images from which were shown to us last night because it is technically not an official part of the slaughterhouse? We obviously have to let An Garda Síochána conduct its investigation, but there is a responsibility on us to ensure that practices such as animal welfare officers - as was shown on the programme - inserting false identification microchips into horses, the beating and the stabbing with a pitchfork of a dying horse, and the whipping of horses are not allowed to happen.

It is absolutely intolerable. With all the other issues that have to be dealt with such as passports and identifications, will this business still continue? Is the Government still happy for the business to continue as it is? Do we now have oversight of all buildings on that yard?

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