andMr. G. Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for licences under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, during the past five years which have been refused by his Department on grounds of (i) availability of alternative techniques not requiring the use of live animals, (ii) the proposed experiments merely repeating earlier experiments, and (iii) the information sought in the experiments being already available.
Written Answers. - Live Animal Experiments.
280.
No application for licences under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876 in the five years ended on 30 November 1978 were refused on the grounds set out in the question.
281.
andMr. Belton asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for licences under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, which have during the past five years been (a) granted; and (b) revoked, due to any irregularities on the part of the licensees.
In the five years ended on 30 November 1978 191 licences under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876 were granted. No licences were revoked.
282.
andMr. Cogan asked the Minister for Health if he will consider amending the Therapeutic Substances (Saorstát Éireann) Regulations, 1934, and any other Acts or regulations which specifically require the testing of therapeutic substances, drugs and medicinal substances to be carried out on living animals, with the effect of according equal recognition and acceptability to valid and proven alternative tests without animals that are, or may become, equally applicable to the tests required.
The question of replacing the Therapeutic Substances (Saorstát Éireann) Regulations, 1934 and certain other controls in relation to particular medicines will be examined in the context of proposals for legislation in relation to medicines generally which are at present under consideration. These proposals will take full account of any changes which have taken place in the methodology for purity and sterility tests for vaccines and other substances.