Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

I strongly support the amendment proposed by Senator Coffey. The people involved in the dog breeding industry have a great love of animals and a commercial interest in the maintenance of the highest standards. They police their establishments very well. When I met them the issue about which they expressed greatest concern was this section of the Bill. That is why I indicated to my colleague that I wanted to speak on this amendment.

Those involved in any inspection process, no matter what aspect of life is being inspected, should be entitled to due process, objectivity and a fair system in which they can have confidence. If people from animal rights groups carry out inspections they may, in a number of cases, endeavour to be fair and get it right. However, people in the industry will not believe they are objective or fair and will feel threatened by them. This will give rise to a sense of alienation.

Senator Coffey described very well the range of people within the animal rights movement. We applaud the many wonderful volunteers in the animal rights movement but this does not make them suitable to become inspectors. The Bill requires a qualified and objective inspectorate which is outside the industry stakeholders. Nursing homes, for example, could not be inspected by members of an interest group in that area. This is a bizarre concept. I do not know how it was ever thought of.

Animal rights activists have a particular position. In some cases they take an adversarial position towards particular breeders. It would be bizarre to set such people up as an inspectorate. This is reminiscent of Stalinist Russia and is not acceptable. A legal case might arise as a result of such a system. We have established due process and natural justice and a system where people have rights, an appeals process and objective standards. That is why we would accept veterinary surgeons as inspectors. They are familiar with legislation, they deal with animals on a regular basis and understand the establishment. We would also accept designated officers within the employ of county councils although in an ideal world all inspections should be carried out by veterinary practitioners employed by the Department.

The idea that one would accept an amateur person without training, however well intentioned, to inspect breeding establishments does not bear thinking about. I hope the good sense of the Minister will prevail. Even if he does not accept the wording of Senator Coffey's amendment I hope he will accept the principle that such an inspection regime would be bizarre and table a Government amendment on Report Stage.

The Minister wants to eliminate puppy farming. No one objects to that. If that had been the sole objective of the Bill it would have been unanimously passed in 20 minutes. That should be what we are about. Surely that is objective No. 1 but objective No. 2, in so far as this relates to the regulation of the commercial dog breeding sector, should be the creation of harmonious regulation, a satisfactory modus vivendi and a working structure that will go on into the future. Surely it is not to start conflict from day one. Whoever thought this up should be awarded a PhD in idiocy. It does not bear thinking about and given the Minister of State is a solid country man, he will immediately identify that.