Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Oct 1996

Vol. 469 No. 5

Written Answers. - Animal Welfare.

Noel Dempsey

Question:

107 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht whether a common position amending the regulation prohibiting the use of leghold traps and prohibiting the importation to the EU of pelts and manufactured goods from certain wild animal species caught by methods which do not meet international humane trapping standards has been agreed in view of the fact that this is a stated priority during Ireland's Presidency of the EU concerning environmental policy in the union. [17813/96]

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

Negotiations are ongoing with a number of fur-exporting countries to agree on International Humane Trapping Standards and the present round is taking place in St. Petersburg this week. It is hoped to conclude these negotiations before the end of October but no final definitive position can be adopted by the European Union until the negotiations have been concluded.