Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

If we are not happy, I have the opportunity to introduce regulations.

The issue regarding employees is not an emergency situation. An employee would be covered in terms of normal husbandry as opposed to an emergency situation. This measure is to avoid abuse of the provision by persons who might hire themselves out on a daily or very short-term basis but who would not be an employee in the true sense. Senator Coonan is referring to the lambing and calving seasons. An employee working in normal husbandry and looking after their animals is not in an emergency situation and will not be covered. We are not providing that cover, rather we are saying that such people exist, that they are involved in normal husbandry and are, therefore, covered under the safeguards.

The emergency situation would be of concern to us all. There are also practical implications. If one is on Arranmore Island and has a cow that is going to die one could be waiting three days for the vet. We must allow for that normal aspect of life. Practicalities exist in all of these issues. In the main, farmers are very anxious about the welfare of their animals, in particular during the vital seasons. Unfortunate accidents can occur and no one in this House would want any animal to suffer as a consequence of having to wait an inordinate length of time for something to be dealt with. Similarly, no one wants to criminalise the farmer for dealing with the issue.

There must be parameters and awareness. An enabling legislative proposal will introduce a statutory instrument to deal with any issues which may be brought to the attention of the council or the Department. The other issue, under section 56(4) , does not relate to an emergency situation. We are not reflecting such a situation and that is why we are speaking of two to four months of employment and not casual labour.