Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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927. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of times the Defence Forces agreed to aid to civil power requests regarding the culling of animals in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date; and the number and type of animals killed in each case. [22111/16]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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928. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the criteria used by the Defence Forces in assessing and agreeing to an aid to civil power request regarding the culling of animals. [22112/16]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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929. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if members of the Defence Forces receive training in the humane killing of animals; and the details of any training received. [22113/16]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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930. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine officials are present on each occasion on which the Defence Forces engage in the culling of animals. [22114/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 927 to 930, inclusive, together.

Primary responsibility for the internal security of the State rests with the Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power which, in practice, means to provide assistance and support to An Garda Síochána when requested to do so.

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 the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine has exhausted all possibilities for normal humane methods of culling. Also in line with the protocol a request is submitted to An Garda Síochána who will, if they require, request the assistance of the Defence Forces.

Between the years 2011 to date in 2016 the Defence Forces have been deployed on one occasion to carry such an operation. This entailed the culling of 5 heifers on 5th July 2016. This operation was carried out in line with the Protocol and at the request of An Garda Síochána. It was initiated at the request of the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy who is responsible for the herd of cattle on the farm in question. It proceeded in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. On the rare occasions when the Protocol is invoked officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Maine are always present.

Whilst there is no formalised training for the Defence Forces in the humane killing of animals, a number of factors are considered and incorporated into such an operation to ensure the most humane conduct of the culling. These include the utilisation of hunting ammunition, the distance to the targets and simultaneous firing to prevent the remaining animals taking flight and thus minimising distress to the animals.