Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim céad fáilte roimh an Aire agus táim thar a bheith buíoch dó as teacht isteach ar an cheist seo. Ceist í seo faoi chapaill, ceist atá ag tarraingt go leor cainte i nGaillimh le tamall anuas, idir an chathair agus an contae.

As I have outlined to the Minister previously, stray horses in Galway city and county have been the subject of a lot of debate in recent times, particularly at the joint policing committees of the city and county and in other forums in the area. I tabled my motion in order to get a handle on the situation in Galway and nationally, if possible. The matter was debated in a fair amount of detail when we discussed the Animal Health and Welfare Bill. I commend the Minister's commitment to the health and welfare of stray animals.

A recent meeting of the joint policing committee in Galway was attended by Mr. Eugene Cummins, director of services who deals with the issue in Galway. He astounded us with the information that €212,700 will be spent this year as a result of the neglect of horses in the county. I know that a similar issue pertains in the city. I believe the cost is due to a number of different factors. It has been indicated that people from certain ethnic backgrounds have an issue with regard to the welfare of horses, but I believe the problem is much broader than that. People who bought horses during the good times but are not now in a position to keep them leave the animals to stray. Stray animals have caused many issues in the city and county. Obviously the health and welfare of animals is the biggest issue, but stray horses also pose a danger to local communities.

At that same meeting, Mr. Cummins gave us another figure. He stated that 98% of the horses seized by the county council were not chipped and did not have equine passports, which makes it difficult to trace their owners. Many changes have been made to legislation in recent times. However, €212,700 is a large amount of money and must be an even greater expense on the State. I am not sure if Galway is a particularly expensive county when it comes to this issue.

I sought clarification from the director of services on the day of the meeting. I asked him whether the money came out of the coffers of the local authority or whether it could be claimed back from the Department. My understanding from what the Minister said previously was that local authorities could claim it back from the Department. He might also indicate whether that has happened in the case of Galway City Council.

We all come from the same place and want to respect horse culture and traditions. We certainly want to facilitate, in any way possible, communities who have such a culture. However, that must be managed and done in a regulated and responsible manner. Above all, the safety, health and welfare of the animals must come first. We need to work on a cross-agency basis at local level in conjunction with the Department to ensure this work is done properly. Policing and passports for animals is also an issue. That is why I want to know how much has been spent in these areas and what can be done to eliminate the difficulties in the area.