Results 9,541-9,560 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: Section 16(1) of the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 states:It shall be unlawful for the operator of a dog breeding establishment to keep at that establishment a dog that is over 8 weeks old and that is not implanted with a microchip.While this requirement applies just to dog-breeding establishments, we are proposing through regulation that all dogs will be required to be microchipped.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: To reply to the first question, I intend to bring the regulation to the committee. We have several codes of conduct and regulations to agree to relating to fur farming, the digging out of animals and the micro-chipping of dogs. We will also have an entirely new and improved approach towards equine identification also. I intend to bring these issues to the committee in order that we can go...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 2:In page 7, line 15, after “1993” to insert “AND THE WELFARE OF GREYHOUNDS ACT 2011”.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 3:In page 9, line 17, to delete “on the island of Ireland” and substitute “in the State”. Following legal advice it was deemed more correct to make it clear that the Bill is limited to those animals in the State.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 4:In page 9, line 26, after “a” to insert the following: “licence, identity document or passport issued in respect of an animal,”.This amendment relates to definitions. A discussion in my Department has identified the need for a slight expansion of the definition of records to specify that documents such as animal passports or identity...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 5:In page 11, to delete lines 14 to 23 and substitute the following:“(b) all buildings, gates, fences, hedges, boundary walls and other structures used to contain the animal are constructed and maintained in a manner that minimises—(i) the risk that the animal will stray, (ii) the risk, or spread, of disease onto or from the land or premises on which the...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I realise it is a somewhat farcical explanation, but it is accurate and takes account of Deputy Thomas Pringle's amendment.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 6:In page 12, to delete lines 26 to 28 and substitute the following: “(5) This section does not apply to anything done under or in accordance with—(a) the Animal Remedies Act 1993, (b) the Irish Medicines Board Act 1995, or (c) the European Union (Protection of Animals used for Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 543 of 2012).”.My...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 7:In page 13, to delete lines 8 to 28 and substitute the following:“11.—(1) A person who has a protected animal in his or her possession or under his or her control shall, having regard to the animal’s nature, type, species, breed, development, adaptation, domestication, physiological and behavioural needs and environment, and in accordance with...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: We had a good discussion on this on Committee Stage and while I am trying to accommodate people's concerns, there are some things we cannot do. Deputy O'Sullivan wants fur farming banned, but what I propose to do is to introduce a new code of conduct and a new inspection and licensing regime in order to reassure people that within the boundaries of farming, the welfare of the animals is...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I hope I will do a good day's work in the House. It is true there are only five fur farms. However, it is not true to say this practice is deliberately cruel. This is a farming practice and like poultry or some pig farming, it is an intensive practice. I am not overly supportive of the industry, but I do not feel I should ban it. Quite a number of people here make a living from work...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: What I said is that it is not deliberately cruel. People do not set out deliberately to be cruel.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: There are other countries that are not doing that. This is a policy choice. We have decided to ensure Ireland acts as an international benchmark in prioritising welfare standards. We will ensure the standards in this industry are as high as the standards in any other country, if not higher. We will do that through a code of practice and a licensing system. That is the approach we have...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I accept that. I will accept the amendment.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I do not propose to accept the amendment. I can understand what the Deputy is getting at, namely, if an authorised officer is to require somebody to stop what they are doing because the officer has a concern there may be a welfare implication, the person who is supposedly offending should have an opportunity to give an explanation. The problem with it is that it would weaken the power of...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 12:In page 15, to delete lines 8 and 9 and substitute the following:"(11) This section does not apply to—(a) the destruction of an animal in an appropriate and humane manner, or (b) anything done under and in accordance with any of the enactments or Regulations mentioned in section 10(5)*.".

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: I recognise that there are strong views on this issue. For some, hare coursing is an unacceptably cruel practice. For others, it is not. It is part of parish and club life and their upbringing with greyhounds and so on. There is a balance I must strike as a Minister in the Bill. It is important to record, for people who have never been to a coursing meeting - as I have not - that...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: These are the facts. That is not to say I am attempting to convince Deputies who are adamant that coursing should be banned. While I can understand their concerns, I must legislate in a balanced and fair way. We are doing that, and I cannot accept the amendments proposed by Deputy Clare Daly.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: We had a long discussion on this on Committee Stage.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Simon Coveney: My views are well known. I can understand the alternative view, which has been stated well by Deputies. We are taking a balanced approach and do not propose to ban hare coursing in this legislation.