Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on setting up an animal procedures group here which would perform the research necessary to institute proper evidence based guidelines regarding animal health and welfare standards. [40556/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of farmed animals. The legislation governing this is the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes Act 1984 and the European Community (Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes) Regulations, 2000. In addition there is specific legislation in relation to pigs, calves and laying hens.

I attach great importance to animal welfare issues and have taken a number of initiatives in this area, including establishing the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC), with a view to promoting and sustaining good practice and compliance with all of the relevant standards, whether on-farm, during transport or at time of slaughter. FAWAC is chaired by an independent Chairman and includes representation from farming bodies, animal welfare organisations, livestock exporters, the veterinary profession, Teagasc and the Agriculture Departments in both Dublin and Belfast. FAWAC has already identified a number of areas that it feels are worthy of particular attention and had made such issues part of its initial work programme. I will carefully consider any views that FAWAC may wish to offer in relation to animal health and welfare issues and how these concerns might be best addressed.

I have also established a Scientific Advisory Committee on Animal Health and Welfare, which is once again independently chaired and which includes among its membership persons of particular expertise and scientific distinction. This Committee is available to advise me of the scientific dimensions of animal health or welfare. It is also available to assist FAWAC where required.