Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I raise last night's "RTÉ Investigates" programme. There is a group of people who are vilified, sidelined, silenced and at times ridiculed, namely, those advocating for animal welfare. What the programme showed is the resilience that this group has in pursuing better standards for the animals in our care. I thank Fran McNulty and "RTÉ Investigates" but it is also important to mention Caroline Rowley and all those across the animal welfare organisations, as well as my party's animal welfare group, for pursuing this matter and bringing to light the huge problems we have in the dairy industry.

It strains credulity to hear Members say they were shocked by the programme. I have raised the issue of live exports and the treatment of animals on ships numerous times in the Seanad.Indeed, animal welfare groups have been raising it. It is time for the country not just to be shocked but to take action on this. We have an obligation to the animals in our care. There is an issue around the lack of another industry for these bull calves. I take that point on board but this is a booming industry with rising milk prices and there are in some cases animals that are not taken care of as a result of this industry. It is human beings who are benefiting and again it is the animal kingdom and nature that are cast aside. I wanted to put that on the record. We have been told numerous times about the problems in live exports. It took a previous "RTÉ Investigates" to point out the problems in the greyhound industry and here we are again. There is a lack of action on both of those issues.