Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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89. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is legislation dealing with abandoned horses and horses that are being neglected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12254/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Control of Horses Act, 1996 designates to local authorities responsibility for issues relating to stray and neglected horses in both urban and rural areas. My Department provides funding to the local authorities to assist in implementation of the Act. In 2014, an amount of €2.25m was paid to the local authorities throughout the country to help themin dealing with straying/abandoned horses in their respective areas.

The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 includes provisions relating to animal welfare, prohibition on animal cruelty and abandonment of animals, including horses. It is an offence under that Act to abandon an animal and a person who abandons an animal is not relieved of responsibility for the welfare of that animal. A person who commits such an offence is liable on summary conviction to a Class A fine or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or to both, or is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €250,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

My Department continues to stress that it is the responsibility of horse owners to ensure the welfare of horses in their ownership and/or their care and to dispose of them appropriately. I would remind horse owners that the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC) has advised that best practice for dealing with unwanted horses is that they should be sold or otherwise humanely disposed of, as such actions prevent the emergence of long-term animal welfare problems. In an effort to promote good animal welfare, my Department, together with the FAWAC, has recently publicised the need on the part of horse owners to comply with legislation on equine identification and on equine premises registration.