Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I am a little concerned because my understanding is the RSPCA, the ISPCA's equivalent in the United Kingdom, is anti-field sports. I do not have evidence of this but I base it on a briefing I received, as is the Dogs Trust, which openly discredits hunting. Therefore, those who represent the hunting fraternity in Ireland are completely opposed to any extension of the authorised officers into their area of activity. I understand the Minister's perspective with regard to domestic animals and so on but I put down the marker that the Minister should tread with caution in this regard. He does not want to have the hunting and fishing organisations come down on his head on this issue. As there always is an extreme when putting forward a view and while I do not suggest I agree with this, I will cite one extreme example. In the United Kingdom, the RSPCA brought an elderly couple to court for having an obese dog. It even removed the couple's pet for its own so-called safekeeping. While this is an extreme example, it obviously happened and this is the reason the hunting organisations are particularly concerned about any extension beyond what the Minister originally outlined, to the effect the authorised officers would be vets. I appreciate the point from which the Minister is coming and I am not against the idea but I make the point there is another dimension to this issue of which the Minister should take account.