asked the Minister for Health if, further to his reply of 13th December 1973, he has taken any measures to amend existing legislation governing the use of live animals in experiments likely to cause suffering.
40.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Live Animal Experiments.
39.
Mrs. Desmond, Mr. Healy, Mr. O.J. Flanagan, Mr. Kitt and Mr. Moore
asked the Minister for Health if any instructions have been issued by his Department to minimise the use of live animals in experiments likely to cause suffering.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 40 together.
Under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, experiments on living animals may be carried out only under licence. Such licences may be granted only on the recommendation of the president of one of a number of recognised colleges or societies together with a university professor, and subject to certain conditions as to the location of the experiment and the manner in which it is to be carried out.
In particular, it is provided that in any such experiment the animal must, during the whole of the experiment be under the influence of an anaesthetic of sufficient power to prevent it feeling pain from the experimental procedure, and if pain is likely to continue after the effect of the anaesthetic has ceased, or if any serious injury has been inflicted, the animal must be killed before it recovers from the influence of the anaesthetic.
Where the necessity for any relaxation of these restrictions may arise, the Minister has discretion to allow such relaxation but there is provision in such cases for an elaborate system of certification by the persons referred to above that the particular experiments are absolutely necessary or that the conditions to be observed, if rigidly adhered to, would frustrate the object of the experiment.
So far, therefore, as the Deputies' inquiry about instructions to minimise the use of live animals is concerned, I think the Deputies will appreciate from what I have said that the licensing system is designed to achieve not only this objective but also, of course, to minimise suffering.
I have, as I promised the House, looked at the position in depth and I am satisfied that there are no abuses at present. However, I will keep the entire system of control under review to see from time to time whether it is necessary to introduce any additional safeguards.
I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for his very comprehensive reply. Can he tell me is the number of licences increasing or decreasing?
I indicated in a previous reply to a question by the Deputy that the number increased somewhat last year.