Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 47 makes clear that an authorised officer appointed by a body with which the Minister has a service agreement may not act in relation to farm animals on a farm. Senators may recall our previous discussion of the legislation when concerns were expressed that I would delegate officers from animal welfare organisations who may not have an understanding of farming to audit farmers. This was a genuine concern, albeit one that was not well-founded.

Notwithstanding that, the amendment has been introduced to ensure there is no ambiguity about the matter. If I enter into service agreements with the Dogs Trust, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the authorised officers from such organisations shall not participate in agricultural or farm inspections and their role will be confined to animal welfare and cruelty cases. In any case, the latter is the only area in which the organisations in question wish to be involved. The amendment provides the clarification Senators sought on this matter.