James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 152: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the promised animal welfare legislation will be published; the objectives of the legislation; if the Bill will provide for the prohibition of fur farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19603/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Significant work has been undertaken on drafting a new Animal Health and Welfare Bill and I intend to initiate a process of public consultation by publishing a discussion paper next week and inviting submissions from interested parties and other stakeholders. The proposed Bill will give effect to a number of important commitments, in the area of animal health and welfare, contained in the Programme for Government.

It will be a wide ranging piece of legislation, which will amend and consolidate previous legislation to reflect the changed disease status of our nation's animals and update existing legislation, to ensure that the welfare of all animals (including non-farm animals) is properly protected and that penalties for offenders are increased significantly. The Bill will also contain provision to repeal and revoke a number of pieces of existing legislation as some of the principal Acts in this area date to 1911. It is intended that the forthcoming legislation will provide for the continuation of normal sporting and farming activities, including fur farming, where these do not involve reckless endangerment of the welfare of animals.