asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the widespread cruelty and brutality which exists with regard to the ownership by children and teenagers of horses in the Dublin area, which animals are often purchased at some of the fairs which take place regularly and at which there is no monitoring of standards of sale or purchase; that in very many cases these animals are brutalised by deliberate cruelty or malnourishment, or by virtue of there being no proper facility in which to house or take care of such animals; if he will have this matter investigated by the Garda Síochána; and if he will introduce the changes in law or legislation which are necessary to stop these practices.
Written Answers. - Cruelty to Animals.
94.
The Protection of Animals Acts, 1911 and 1965, are the primary statutory provisions prohibiting cruelty to animals. The 1965 Act specifically prohibits the sale of any animal as a pet to a person apparently under the age of twelve years. The Garda Síochána are responsible for the enforcement of these Acts and consider that they have adequate powers to deal with cruelty to animals whenever it is observed by members of the force or when complaints are received from members of the public. Consequently, it is not considered necessary to have the existing legislation amended.
Regulation of fairs and markets is a matter for the local authorities in whose functional area they are held.