Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

My view on this and other areas is that it would set a dangerous precedent if politicians were to decide on the length of jail terms for any offence. I refer also to some of the mandatory sentencing that is prescribed in law for drug offences and so forth. We should, by and large, have faith in the Judiciary to make a judgment call in these matters. If someone has engaged in such outrageous abuse, cruelty or neglect of an animal that it is clear he or she is incapable of looking after animals, a judge should have the power to ban that person for life from owning or being responsible for animals. I accept, however, that the person's behaviour must be of a significant nature for such a penalty to be imposed. Unfortunately, some savage cases of cruelty to animals have been reported. In such cases, we should trust judges to make a judgment on the appropriate period for a ban - whether one, three or five years - or to impose a ban subject to the person's consenting to seek support or counselling. It is important to provide for flexibility for a judge in a courtroom, rather than trying to prescribe exact periods that would have to be implemented.