Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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511. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if releasing a pack of dogs to chase a fox, failing to intervene to stop the dogs from attacking and-or killing the fox, and using terriers to corner and attack foxes when they try to escape underground are contrary to the provisions of the Animal Health and Welfare Act, which states that it is an offence to "do, or fail to do, anything or cause or permit anything to be done to an animal that causes unnecessary suffering to, or endanger the health or welfare of, an animal". [10042/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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On the general matter of hunting, a detailed debate was held during the passage of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and the Dáil decided to allow the continuation of fox hunting in accordance with an appropriate code of conduct.

Section 25 of the Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013 allows for the establishment of codes of practice and for the adoption of codes published by other persons for the purposes of providing practical guidance relating to any aspect of the Act, including fox hunting. Voluntary codes of practice have been established by the Hunting Association of Ireland which detail the conduct to be adhered to in respect of the hunting of foxes and the treatment of the animal during the hunt. The Code prohibits the hunting of foxes where the animal is injured and advocates the humane disposal of a fox when captured.

The code also considers local concerns and the concerns of the landowner(s) on whose land hunting takes place.