Written answers

Wednesday, 22 February 2017

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Animal Welfare

Photo of Denise MitchellDenise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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222. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if legislation is being brought forward to ban the use of wild animals in circuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9068/17]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, 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.  

My Department continues to engage with stakeholders, including circus groups and animal welfare organisations, in relation to the welfare of wild animals in circuses. According to the information currently available to my Department, there are in fact very few wild animals currently performing in Irish circuses.  I have no plans at this juncture to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.

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