Vol. 530 No. 5
26 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the measures in place to enforce the provisions of Council Directive 91/628/EEC as amended by Council Directive 95/29/EEC concerning the protection of animals during transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4109/01]
The directives in question are the subject of national rules under the Diseases of Animals (Protection of Animals during Transport) Orders, 1995 and 1997. Inspectors of my Department monitor compliance with the rules in so far as they relate to international transport and findings are communicated to the Commission of the European Communities. The Food and Veterinary Office of the Commission also conducts inspections in relation to animal welfare, including transport, in the member states of the Community, including Ireland. So far as domestic transport is concerned, I have asked my Department to undertake as soon as practicable a campaign of vehicle inspection to ensure that internal transporters are fully aware of the rules and to deal with infringements appropriately where identified. Arrangements to transpose into national law the animal transport provisions of Directive 64/432/EEC as set out in Council Directive 97/12/EC are at an advanced stage.
In addition to enforcement of the directives, prosecutions have been taken against animal transporters under the Protection of Animals Act, 1911, by the Garda Síochána.
