Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Aire. Is breá an rud deis a fháil labhairt ar an mBille tábhachtach seo. I wish to draw the attention of the Minister to one particular matter. The joint policing committee meeting in Galway on Monday was a strange place for something relating to the Animal Health and Welfare Bill to come up. The question raised was about who owns the horses. This is a serious problem for Galway City Council at the moment. The council spent €90,000 last year on abandoned horses. The council is not allowed to put down the horses but when they are abandoned on the side of the road, the council must take them somewhere. They are kept in stables in the countryside. The council has a serious issue. I welcome what the Minister is doing with the legislation. How will the legislation address the case in which someone has abandoned a horse or animal in an urban area and the local council must take it on board? The council is obliged to keep the animal somewhere until the rightful owner comes back. At the moment this is incurring a cost on the State. I would welcome any comments of the Minister in this regard.