Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the procedures which led up to the reported decision to order the slaughter of the pigs which survived the bridge collapse incident in County Kerry earlier in 2007; the reason, when a national newspaper had reportedly found homes for these pigs, they were slaughtered; and if she will make a statement on the animal cruelty aspects of the bridge collapse. [9084/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The position in this case is that the pigs in question were being transported from a farm in Kerry to Northern Ireland for slaughter when a bridge collapsed under the lorry being used for the transportation.

When the lorry was recovered, the situation was assessed by officers from the local DVO. Casualties were unloaded at the farm of origin and the rest of the pigs were deemed to be fit to travel onwards to a lairage where they were unloaded fed and rested. These pigs were subsequently slaughtered and any alternative means of disposal would have been a matter for the owner of the pigs rather than for my Department.

I understand that a complaint has been made to the Gardaí relating to this incident and that this is being pursued.