Results 34,981-35,000 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: We are trying to ensure that when people leave animals for a period there will be adequate shelter and warmth as well as suitable food and water and that the animal will be provided with adequate exercise. A practical example would involve someone working during the day who has a dog in a stable, porch or shed. An effort should be made. The legislation has the term "what is reasonably...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: The amendment was a result of a representation made to me and it was drafted following consultation with various groups. A concern was raised that certain activities might be construed as abandonment. While I consider that neither the re-introduction of wild animals nor the stocking of game birds constitutes abandonment, it is best to remove any doubt. The amendment makes it clear that the...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: The point raised by Senator Ó Domhnaill is in the same category as the two paragraphs we discussed yesterday. We will examine the matter. We do not want to prosecute in an unreasonable way owners of animals who have entrusted those animals to either a professional, a family member or a friend for minding in good faith. In some cases the owners will be paying for it. Let us suppose one...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: That is a fair point and it is the reason we need codes of conduct in welfare organisations, not just for horses but for other animals as well. We must balance the support for well-meaning people who in many cases are looking after abandoned animals at their own expense. I know a number of them and they are well-meaning animal lovers who are looking to help as many abandoned animals as they...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: Yes. There are codes of practice in place. There is a long section on codes of practice which we will reach shortly.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: I have just been advised that the normal period we would financially support the council in terms of keeping animals is five days. These are issues we can review if they are not appropriate. The point of having flexibility around codes of conduct is to be able to extend or reduce them, depending on what is appropriate. We are trying to get this right, which is why putting a timeframe into...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: It is the responsibility of local authorities in this area. We play a supervisory role, and we are talking to local authorities about how we can financially support them. Obviously, we have spoken to local authorities about trying to get this legislation right. My understanding is that there is an obligation on a local authority to collect and look after horses if they have been abandoned....

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: There is not, as far as I know.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: There is a joint responsibility. Local authorities cannot say that they want all of this to be paid for by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. There is a also responsibility on local authorities, their veterinary officers and their authorised officers to ensure that horses are not abandoned. This is a joint approach. We spent just over €2 million last year supporting...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: We had quite a long conversation about this issue this morning. I think what the Senator is asking for is not unreasonable. This section is clearly not about farming, unless somebody is farming animals for fighting. If that is the case, we are coming after such people. This is one of the sections about which I feel very strongly. That is why this section refers to anyone who records,...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: I do not want to over-egg this point. However, a really good example of lack of animal welfare legislation is seen in the practices of dog fighting, dog baiting and cock fighting and the underground culture that goes with them which is, unfortunately, quite active across the country. I hope the Bill will send out a strong signal to people who are participating in those activities that they...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: Section 16 has given quite a few people cause for concern. The amendment is brought forward following consultation with the Select Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture. It brings additional clarity to section 16. It makes it clear that, irrespective of whether or not an operation is covered by a regulation under subsection 16(1), a veterinary practitioner may...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: I am looking at the Northern Ireland legislation, which was cited earlier. Section 6 of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 states that a person commits an offence if that person removes the whole or any part of a dog's tail or causes the whole or any part of a dog's tail to be removed by another person. A person commits an offence if that person is responsible for a dog and...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: No, I do not think so. I am not a qualified vet. First, I would like to think vets are professional enough to be able to make decisions on the welfare of animals without being clouded in their judgment by whether they support hunting. The issue at stake is the welfare of the animal, be it a hound or a horse, just as in the case of farming. Vets should be able to carry out their work on...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: First, for the record, I have received a submission from the Countryside Alliance. We have had submissions from many different organisations. As Members are aware, the Countryside Alliance is a strong supporter of hunting and other such pursuits. The first paragraph of section 16 states: "A person shall not, except in accordance with animal health and welfare regulations, carry out an...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (22 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: An application was received on 13 May 2011 requesting the transfer of 12.69 Single Payment entitlements from another person to the person named under the 2011 scheme year. Following communication from the Transfer of Entitlements Section of my Department to the other person, relevant documents were requested, received and the entitlements were transferred to the person named. Payment will...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: I am satisfied that the members of the management committee, each of whom is responsible for a significant functional area of my Department, provide representation at the management advisory committee for all staff working in their functional area. Accordingly, I have no plans to reform the membership of the management advisory committee of my Department in the manner suggested by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: Up until last December 2011 when my Department stopped accepting applications, it was open to any veterinary practitioner registered with the Veterinary Council, including retired veterinary officials from my Department, to apply for approval to be engaged as a part-time Temporary Veterinary Inspector on a contract for services basis and to be available to be rostered for meat inspection...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: My Department keeps its staffing requirements under constant review and will seek to fill critical vacancies where necessary. My Department has a very varied staffing structure comprising administrative, technical, professional and industrial grades and, where it is a requirement of the job that the jobholder be a graduate, we will seek to fill the vacancy with a graduate. I would also...

Written Answers — Animal Identification Scheme: Animal Identification Scheme (22 May 2012)

Simon Coveney: The person named was the subject of an inspection by the ERAD/Animal Health Division of my Department on the 21th of September 2011. This inspection uncovered discrepancies that involved the Tagging of Animals and the failure to notify movements of cattle to the Animal Identification and Movement system (formerly Cattle Movement and Monitoring System). A report detailing these discrepancies...