Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 9 Jun 1992

Vol. 420 No. 9

Written Answers. - Cruelty to Animals Act.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

124 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health if he will outline in respect of each of the years 1989 to 1991 (a) the total amount awarded by bodies under the aegis of his Department to fund medical research, (b) the proportion of that amount awarded for projects designed to develop procedures to replace existing procedures which require the use of live animals, (c) whether any money has been allocated in the latter purpose in the current year and (d) whether it is his intention to allocate funds for that purpose in 1993.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

125 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health the number of persons holding appointment on 1 January 1992 as inspectors under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

126 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health if he will outline in respect of each of the years 1989 to 1991 (a) the number of inspections carried out by his Department of places registered under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, (b) the number of infringements discovered in the course of such inspections and (c) the number of licences suspended or withdrawn, or certificates suspended or disallowed in consequence of such inspections.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

127 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the legislation and other action he intends to take on foot of EC Directive 86/609 on the use of animals for experimental purposes.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

128 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health if in 1992 and succeeding years he will publish statistics on animals experiments under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, in greater detail than previously, and if, in doing so, he will have regard to the manner in which such information has been published in the United Kingdom since the passing of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Connell)

I propose to answer Questions Nos. 124 to 128, inclusive, together.

During the years in question funding for medical research was made available by the Health Research Board (which operates under the aegis of my Department) as follows: 1989, £1,463,246; 1990, £1,421,764; 1991, £1,503,101.

The above figures include the cost of research undertaken by the Board itself in addition to research funded by the Board but carried out by other bodies.

Funding is mainly awarded by the Board on the basis of proposals submitted by research organisations (e.g. universities, teaching hospitals, etc.). The Board did not receive any proposals to research procedures to replace the use of live animals and, accordingly, the question of allocating funding did not arise.

With regard to funding of research on this topic in 1993, this will be a matter for the Board to consider.

The returns for animal experimentation carried out in 1991 under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876 show that a total of 35,413 animals were involved in a total of 33,966 procedures.

The balance of medical, scientific and other informed opinion at the present time is that properly controlled animal experimentation contributes to advances which lead to the saving of human life and alleviation of human suffering. I accept that some animal experimentation will, therefore, continue to be necessary in the public interest subject to proper safeguards but I am anxious to keep the level of experimentation to the absolute minimum.

All persons wishing to conduct experiments must be licensed under the Cruelty to Animals Act and all applications for a licence are closely scrutinised by inspectors appointed under the Act. There are twelve (12) inspectors involved in the inspection of registered premises. Inspections take place with no advance warning to the animal house involved. Statistics of the number of inspections are not held centrally. No infringements have been reported to my Department in respect of the years referred to.

I am at present reviewing the existing statutory controls in the light of the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes and the EC Directives 86/609 on the approximation of laws.

In accordance with the requirements of these instruments I will also be reviewing the statistics published in relation to these experiments.