Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the further action she intends to take to ensure that appropriate conditions of animal welfare apply to all farm animals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38383/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Primary responsibility for the welfare of animals rests with the owner or keeper of the animals. The owners-keepers are obliged to take all reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of animals under their care and to ensure that such animals are not caused any unnecessary pain, suffering or injury. To the extent that it can my Department seeks to ensure that optimum animal welfare standards apply on farms.

The welfare of animals kept for farming purposes in general is covered by the European Communities (Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes) Regulations 2000 and the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes Act 1984. In addition, the welfare of calves and pigs is subject to the European Communities (Welfare of Calves and Pigs) Regulations 2003, SI 48 of 2003, which set out minimum requirements for accommodation in relation to space, lighting, ventilation, veterinary treatment etc. and to allow animals to express natural behaviour. Laying hens are subject to the provisions of the European Communities (Welfare of Laying Hens) Regulations 2002, SI 98 of 2002, which specify the accommodation and other welfare requirements for keeping and rearing laying hens. Earlier this year the EU Commission made proposals for a council directive to further protect the welfare of broilers. That draft directive is at present under discussion at EU level and my Department is participating in those discussions.

Current legislation also provides for the protection of the welfare of animals being transported. Inspections on the welfare of animals being transported are undertaken by officials from my Department on a national spot-check basis at meat factories, marts and ports and any follow-up action necessary is undertaken. The outcome of these inspections is reported to the European Commission. Complaints received by my Department about on-farm welfare of animals are investigated thoroughly under the above-mentioned regulations and appropriate action is taken.

The Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council, FAWAC, which was established in 2002, has brought together for the first time in Ireland representatives of the principal stakeholders, welfare organisations, farming bodies, Departments North and South, and veterinary representative bodies in an advisory body. FAWAC has already published animal welfare guidelines for beef, dairy and sheep farmers and for owners-keepers of horses, ponies and donkeys. Guidelines on the welfare of broiler chickens are currently being drafted.

One of the initiatives which has recently been taken under the umbrella of FAWAC is an early warning-intervention system for animal welfare cases which involves my Department, the Irish Farmers' Association and the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals. The objective of this system is to provide a framework at local level within which problems can be identified and addressed before they become critical or overwhelming.

I believe that the current body of legislation in this area provides the necessary powers to ensure a high level of animal welfare and to prevent ill treatment of animals. I will continue to keep this area under review.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food, further to Question No. 124 of 4 October 2005, the steps she intends to take on the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37737/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I have outlined in detail to the House on a number of occasions the circumstances surrounding this unusual case. I wish to restate the key aspects. First, the actions by my Department at the time were designed to protect public health by ensuring that animals treated with a prohibited substance did not enter the food chain. Second, my Department obviously wanted to see the animals disposed of in a humane manner and offered to permit the animals to be brought to a slaughter plant. However, the person in charge of the animals chose the manner by which the animals were to be slaughtered and my Department endeavoured to ensure that he did this in a way that the welfare of the animals was not compromised. In view of the fact that the matter is sub judice, I do not propose to comment any further on the case at this stage.