Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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176. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the controversy surrounding the recent Belly Wien circus, which has been banned in a number of other jurisdictions, and recently toured here, if he will introduce legislation to effect a ban on the use of animals in circuses, and in any other performance capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8466/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The conditions under which circus animals are kept and managed come under the scope of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which contains rules relating to the welfare of all animals and requires a person having an animal under his or her control to safeguard and not endanger the health and welfare of the animal. The circus referred to was inspected by Veterinary Inspectors of my Department and no breach of animal welfare was observed.