John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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578. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce a system of licensing and regulating the use of horse drawn vehicles that would include an age restriction on those that operate horse drawn vehicles (details supplied). [32504/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on 2 May 2017 (PQ Reference 1319) advised the Deputy that drivers of horse-drawn vehicles, like all vehicles used in a public places, are required to comply with road traffic legislation, and are responsible for behaving in a safe manner.

The Control of Horses Act 1996, enforced by Local Authorities includes provisions (Section 46 of Act) on the making of bye laws, concerning the protection of horses, persons and property. It is a matter for each Local Authority to determine the bye laws that are appropriate to its functional area. Section 20 of the Act includes provisions for Local Authorities to grant horse licences to horse owners entitling the owner to keep the horse in a control area and provision is made for the revocation or suspension of the licence if the holder is in breach of the Act. This section also includes a provision that a Local Authority shall not grant a horse licence to any person under the age of 16 years.

The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 regulates sale of animals to minors and makes it an offence to sell an animal to persons under the age of 16 years.