Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

168. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the number and names of active fur farms at present; if any fur farms have closed in the past three years; if any applications have been made to establish new fur farms; if so, the species the potential fur farms are seeking to breed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16778/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A licence from my Department is required for the keeping of mink under the Musk Rats Act, 1933 and Musk Rats Act 1933 (Application to Mink) Order, 1965. Three operators currently hold such licences. It is not the practice to divulge the names and addresses of licensees as this may prejudice the security of the operators’ premises and the mink they keep. Two former operators have ceased to hold licences within the past three years. No applications have been received to establish new mink-keeping enterprises.

I established a Review Group in November 2011 to examine all aspects of fur farming in Ireland. The Terms of Reference of the Review Group were:

(i) To review fur farming in Ireland taking into account existing legislative provisions for the licensing of mink farming

(ii) To comment on the economic benefits of the sector

(iii) To consider the effectiveness of existing welfare controls, and

(iv) To make appropriate recommendations.

The Review Group invited submissions from the public and interested parties and considered over four hundred submissions which were received.

The Group recommended that fur farming should be allowed continue under licence and subject to official control.

On foot of the Review Group’s recommendations, my Department has introduced more rigorous controls on licence holders in the areas of animal welfare, animal accommodation, security and nutrient management. Licensees are subject to regular inspections, including unannounced inspections by Department officials.