Thank you, Sir, for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I appreciate that the Minister has come in to respond.
The problem of wandering horses in urban areas is very serious and often not appreciated by those living outside the main urban centres. Sometimes people have a romantic idea about horses, akin to the film "Into the West" which included romantic scenes of traveller children riding horses bareback across the green areas between high rise apartment blocks in the Dublin suburbs and eventually leaving the city. That appears romantic, but in reality there is nothing romantic about wandering horses. I want to make it clear that those horses do not belong to travellers because sometimes people believe they do. I am referring to the problem in urban areas, principally in Dublin, where horses are often owned by children and teenagers who have dropped out of school. Their young owners, get a great thrill riding their horses, but they pose a serious threat in many urban areas, principally in Dublin.
In recent months those animals have caused a number of injuries to motorists and pedestrians. Many of us who live in Dublin have encountered that problem when driving through housing estates where horses on open spaces frequently run out in front of cars or pedestrians. The problem of wandering horses kept on open spaces in housing estates and often in the backyards of ordinary houses has been brought to my attention by many of my constituents.
For many Dublin children owning a horse has become something of a status symbol. I am aware of instances where such horses have been used in crime and drug dealing. The ability of people on horseback to make their getaway makes life difficult for gardaí as it is virtually impossible to pursue them. On one level that may be considered amusing, but for people living in these areas it is a serious problem.
Those horses, with few exceptions, are not properly looked after. They are often kept in unsuitable conditions, tethered to trees and railings, in public open spaces and sometimes kept in the backyard of the owners' houses. Those horses are often in bad condition when purchased and we need to pay closer attention to the Smithfield horse fair which is held on a monthly basis. Many of the horses on sale there are not in good condition, and very often are sold to young people who know very little about caring for them and who keep them in unsuitable conditions. There is much to be learned about the cruelty aspect. There have been many cases of serious abuse and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has called for immediate action on this problem.
The problems presented in terms of public safety are obvious. Much good environmental work undertaken at community level by members of residents' associations and so on is being undermined by these horses destroying cultivated areas. However, my main concern is the lawlessness such wandering horses represent, exacerbating problems in many housing estates. While the Minister indicated that he is preparing a Bill I must ask that it be expedited because it is a serious problem in the Dublin area warranting urgent attention. In the interim, he should investigate the existing powers of the Garda and local authorities which can be used to great effect.
