Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know Senator Boyhan has a big interest in agriculture as well. Fianna Fáil has decided to support this motion. I must make clear at the start, however, that coming from an agricultural background and knowing the significance of agriculture and our export market, I cannot support any call to ban live exports. I will say that I understand where Senator Pauline O'Reilly is coming from, certainly with regard to more veterinary care and having a veterinarian on board these ships. I am all for that type of thing. We have seen some incidents of things that were really upsetting, particularly young calves being sent abroad and suffering on board. I think every Member of this House would agree. Again, coming from a rural area and from a small farming background, nothing hurts the farming community as much as to see those images on television.

With regard to the farming community, again, we talked about the small and medium farmers. They really get upset and annoyed by this because they really love and look after their animals. Whether children are from an urban or a rural background, when they see a young lamb, calf, pup or whatever it is, they have huge respect and empathy. We all have to have a level of responsibility.

The motion calls on the Government to work on several areas of animal welfare including commencing the ban on fur farming legislation as outlined in the Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, regulating for exotic pet species, increasing funding for the enforcement of animal welfare regulations and reviewing the sentencing regime under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.

I think we all agree that we need to move on fur farming. We need to move on that legislation and I know the Minister of State is committed to working on that. The issue of compensation may be worked out or is nearly at an end and once we have that done, we should move very quickly with that legislation. We do not want fur farming; that is the reality.

Irish people have a very strong sense of empathy and responsibility towards animals. Our priorities in government must reflect this. We are part of a three-party coalition with a programme for Government. I respect and work with that programme for Government. Animal welfare is a high priority for the Government and considerable resources and funding are provided to organisations involved in rescuing and rehoming animals. It should be recalled that in December 2021, the Government through the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and others in the Department, including the Minister of State, provided record funding of €3.7 million to 98 animal welfare bodies throughout the country. In my own area of Roscommon–Galway, people rescue and look after different types of animals and make sure they are okay. They are delighted this has begun to happen in society. People who voluntarily look after animals get very distressed when they see them being neglected or maybe dying from lack of food. We have a responsibility in that regard and we must do it. Therefore, that funding is very important and I am very happy to say there will be increased funding in that area in the new budget.

Work is under way to establish regulations for the ownership, sale and supply of exotic pets. I agree with Senator Pauline O'Reilly that we need to regulate that area without delay. People get quite worried when the authorities find that ten, 12, 14 or 20 exotic pets have been brought into the country illegally. There are welfare issues and health issues. This must be regulated as a priority matter.

Animal welfare is a high priority for the Minister, who has made concrete proposals in regard to areas raised in today's Private Members' business. The Minister created the Department's first stand-alone animal welfare division, for example, and launched Ireland's first dedicated animal welfare strategy, Working Together for Animal Welfare: Ireland’s Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. A new advisory council on companion animal welfare, comprising a group of independent experts who will advise the Minister on important issues such as the responsibility of pet ownership and certain breeds, has also been created. The Minister reformed the farm animal welfare advisory council and with his Government colleagues recently launched the farm and animal welfare network, which focuses on practical individual support for people and their animals at local level. Later this year, the largest ever allocation of grants will be allocated by the Minister and his colleagues in the Department to animal welfare organisations, enabling them to engage not only in helping animals in need today but also in education programmes that will prevent welfare problems arising tomorrow.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is working with other Government Departments to put in place regulations for the ownership, sale and supply of exotic pets. The Minister is working on legislation aimed at further clamping down on those who dock or crop dogs' ears, which is another terrible practice. The Minister has reiterated his continued commitment to upholding high standards of animal welfare in the transport of live animals. I spoke at the start about the economic importance of that sector to our country. The production of food has now become so important again with the war in Ukraine. However, I fully endorse anything we can do to ensure that all animals that are being exported are properly looked after and, certainly, that they have veterinary support on board; that is important. Those are my few comments. Animal welfare matters to a lot of people, whether they are urban or rural, and to a lot of farmers. I certainly think there is a lot of good in the motion and that is why we will support it, as part of the Government. I know the Senator understands that because of my background, I would not like to see a ban on live exports, but I respect her view. In regard to greyhounds, there are some very good people who look after dogs very well, take them out and exercise them, but there have been people who have sullied that business very badly. We must ensure that the proper thing is done and that animals are properly looked after. As I said, I second the motion.