Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A full investigation is under way. It has been under way for a number of weeks. The abattoir where the slaughtering is taking place is a regulated environment. I want to be clear that the animal welfare rules apply everywhere. They apply also in the holding area even if that is not the area where the inspection was actually taking place, which is in the slaughterhouse itself. In the holding area, the same animal welfare rules apply. What we saw on our television screens exposed by RTÉ "Prime Time Investigates" was abhorrent to anyone who has any shred of decency. Anyone who has a love of animals will have been appalled by it. That is why the full force of the law will be applied here. This investigation needs to be allowed to take its course. The Department is now on this in every respect that we would expect it to be, including with direct engagement supervision and regulation of these particular commercial premises.

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