Results 9,121-9,140 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Is Deputy Hogan disappointed?

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I do not propose to accept these amendments. Our advice is that the Greyhound Industry Acts from 1958 to 1993 do not make provisions for animal welfare. As I indicated on Second Stage, I will be happy to delay the commencement order of the Bill until 1 January 2011. This is to allow the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to amend the Greyhound Industry Act to include the welfare...

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Furthermore, I have provided an exemption from fees for hunt clubs. However, all dogs, including hunt dogs and greyhounds, are to be subject to the general provisions of this Bill. When referring to exemptions, I stated repeatedly I was referring to exemptions from fees. I do not know how many times I have had to clarify that in the House. Unfortunately, Deputies are deliberately stoking...

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Deputy Tom Hayes is not disabusing them of any of their notions either. It suits his political purpose to tell them they are correct and that I cannot be trusted.

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: The process of vilification continues.

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: That is regrettable. I keep returning to the point that this is animal welfare legislation. We have succeeded, through dialogue and the forming of consensus, in persuading Bord na gCon to come on board. It now accepts the legislation. Therefore, it is beyond me to understand how it can accept it while the Deputies opposite do not.

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I thank the Deputy for the lecture on the nature of adversarial politics. I listened to his colleague, Deputy Rabbitte, speak last weekend. He informed us on the radio that the only reason the Labour Party voted against the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill was because it wanted to see whether doing so would topple the Government, and that it did not believe in what it was doing. I found that...

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: The only principle was to try to get into power as quickly as possible. I have consulted a wide body of people as best I can. The legislation is consensual and tries to move away from adversarial politics in so far as possible. I was heartened that, at least on Second Stage, the Labour Party voted with the Government. However, I hope it will do so during Committee and Remaining Stages. I...

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Many people in rural Ireland share our concerns about animal welfare.

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: These bogus concerns raised by the Deputies opposite are shameful.

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: It is absolutely shameful that they continue to peddle these untruths.

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: What in the name of God is the Deputy talking about?

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I do not propose to accept this amendment as it would exclude the provision for appointing as authorised officer a person connected with animal welfare, with whom an arrangement has been entered into under section 15(3) of the Control of Dogs Act 1986. Many local authorities have sub-contracted dog control services and such arrangements have worked very successfully. There are numerous...

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: " "dog" includes bitch;". This amendment is simply there to provide for the avoidance of doubt. Where there is a reference to a dog, it will include a female dog, as appropriate.

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I remind Deputies that the working group agreed on the definition as being based on the number of female dogs on a premises with breeding potential. The working group included a representative from Veterinary Ireland, the senior superintendent veterinary inspector of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Louth County veterinary inspector and the ISPCA inspectorate...

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: That is not true.

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, line 18, to delete "4 months" and substitute "6 months".

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I do not propose to accept this amendment as it would have the effect of excluding hunt clubs from registration and inspection. The Hunting Association of Ireland publicly welcomed the regulation of dog-breeding establishments. I am willing to give hunt clubs the fee exemption in response to their financial concerns on the basis they are not commercial operations. However, it is important...

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Amendments Nos. 41 and 42 provide for the tattooing of hunt dogs and maintaining a separate register. I accept tattooing is the traditional method for traceability in this sector and I believe there should be no undermining of such measures. I hope all Members will agree that having in place a method for tracing pups is essential in ensuring high standards of animal welfare are maintained....

Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Of course if people are carrying out their duties in a reasonable fashion, they have nothing whatsoever to fear. The people concerned have made it very clear that they are complying with the highest animal welfare standards. These inspections will not be on a regular basis, as some have said. According to the Bill, if an establishment is well run, inspections may be on an annual basis....