Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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170. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views regarding Garda involvement in the shooting dead of a number of cattle on a farm in County Monaghan on 5 July 2016 as part of a debt recovery exercise. [21157/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Defence Forces carried out the humane cull of five animals on a farm in Co. Monaghan. It is not correct, as has been alleged, that the cattle were treated inhumanely or that this case involves the operation of debt collectors. This operation was carried out at the request of the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy who is responsible for the herd of cattle on that farm, and it was done in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, and with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as well as with the Defence Forces.

While there is a long history to this particular case, I can inform the Deputy that following failed efforts to round up the five animals and, with a significant concern about public safety, on 4th July, and at the request of the Official Assignee, a decision was taken involving the Gardaí, the Official Assignee and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that the optimal course of action was that these animals should be culled.

The Garda Commissioner is directly responsible for Garda operational matters, including the direction and control of Garda members. I have no direct role in relation to these matters. I am informed that members of An Garda Síochána did not engage in civil debt recovery activities and were not involved in the shooting of the livestock. They attended the lands at Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan to deal with any breach of the peace that may have occurred. Members of An Garda Síochána may attend at such incidents in order to prevent a breach of the peace or a criminal offence occurring and in complying with the functions of An Garda Síochána as provided at section 7(1), Garda Síochána Act, 2005, as amended.