Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 302: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the frequency of visits by inspectors from her Department to registered user establishments licensed for animal experiments. [37897/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Inspections of registered user establishments are carried out in accordance with Section 10 of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, as amended. The Act provides for all registered establishments to be visited from time to time by inspectors for the purpose of securing compliance with the provisions of the Act. Veterinary staff of the Department of Agriculture and Food have acted as inspectors under a long standing arrangement with that Department: however, this arrangement is currently under discussion. Officials of my Department do not carry out these inspections.