Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

This section has attracted a great deal of discussion. It is easy to find examples in which it seems overly restrictive, and equally examples in which it does not go far enough. One member of the House said that 16 was too young, and we should raise the age to 18. Therefore, the current age limit strikes a good balance. However, following suggestions from Senators, this amendment adds a restriction on the granting of animals to minors as competition prizes. Following the discussions we had two sessions ago, I was trying to achieve a balance in terms of not being overly restrictive if a child under the age of 16 wins, say, a cockerel as a prize, while not allowing a situation in which children are dealing in the buying and selling of animals. What we had in the original Bill was that a person shall not sell an animal to a person who is apparently under the age of 16.

With regard to amendments Nos. 24 and 25, Sinn Féin wanted to make an exception for the awarding of a prize. In our amendment, we propose that a person shall not give an animal as a prize to a person who is apparently under the age of 16, unless that person is accompanied by a person of full age. In other words, if a child is accompanied, he or she can collect a prize at a mart or whatever, which is not something we are seeking to restrict. We have tried to achieve a good balance and improve the wording while taking into account the legitimate concerns that were expressed by some Senators. I hope Senators are happy with that.