Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

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 the basis of the circumstances animals are in or are going to be in, such as in the case of harriers for hunting, for example. Vets are the people who are best placed to make such decisions rather than a Minister making a decision on a matter without looking at it case by case.