Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

711. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if officals from his Department are present on every occasion that members of the Defence Forces engage in the culling of animals. [22117/16]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

712. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a vet is present on every occasion that animals are culled by members of the Defence Forces. [22118/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 711 and 712 together.

A Protocol is in existence between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces concerning the emergency culling of animals by the Defence Forces. The criteria in the Protocol stipulates that a request for the assistance of the Defence Forces for the emergency culling of animals will be made only in circumstances where all possibilities for normal humane methods of culling have been exhausted. On the rare occasions when the Protocol is invoked officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are always present.