Written answers

Thursday, 30 June 2005

Department of Health and Children

Experiments on Animals

8:00 pm

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 169: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will accept a ban on the use of all non-human primates and dogs and cats in animal experiments here, regardless if whether they are used in regulatory toxicology in Ireland; the institutions at which they are used; the number of animals of each species which are used every year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23839/05]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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While it is not the practice in Ireland to license experiments involving the use of primates, there are no plans at present to introduce legislation in this regard. I have arranged to make the 1999 and 2002 statistics on the use of animals for experimental and other scientific purposes available to the Deputy; these include data on cats and dogs used in toxicological and other safety evaluations. The 2002 statistics are also available on my Department's website www.dohc.ie. These statistics are compiled in accordance with the requirements of the European Commission. Information on individual licence applications relating to experimental animals held at specific registered premises is provided in confidence and is treated as such by my Department.

The use of live animals in scientific research and other experimental activity is strictly controlled in accordance with the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 as amended by the European Communities (Amendment of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876) Regulations 2002. The Act, as amended, gives full effect to European Council Directive 86/609/EEC on the protection of experimental animals and ensures that Ireland is fully in line with European standards for the welfare of experimental animals. One of the objectives of the directive is to reduce the numbers of animals used for experiments by encouraging the development and the validation of alternative methods to replace animal methods. The Act provides, inter alia, that an experiment shall not be performed if another scientifically satisfactory method of obtaining the result sought, not entailing the use of an animal, is reasonably and practicably available.

The European Commission has established the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods, ECVAM, to promote the scientific and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods which are of importance to the biosciences and which reduce, refine or replace the use of laboratory animals. Ireland supports the work of ECVAM and is represented on its scientific committee.

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