Vol. 564 No. 3
25 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the details of the framework being drawn up by the farm animal welfare advisory council for an early-warning system for farmers in difficulty with animal welfare on their farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8839/03]
The Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council, FAWAC, chaired by Professor Patrick Fottrell, includes representation from farming bodies, animal welfare organisations, livestock exporters, veterinary bodies and representatives of the veterinary profession, Teagasc and the Agriculture Departments in both Dublin and Belfast. FAWAC had already identified a number of areas which it feels are worthy of particular attention and had made these part of it initial work programme. The members of FAWAC had some time ago recognised the merit in strengthening localised arrangements throughout the country, involving farming bodies, local animal welfare organisations and the Department at local level, for identifying and alleviating welfare problems on individual farms before they became critical. Work on this aspect, to which farming bodies and animal welfare organisations had already made particularly positive contributions, is already well in hand although not yet concluded. It will be for FAWAC itself in the first instance to settle the detail of the proposed framework, after which it will be announced. I am conscious that the chairman and members of FAWAC are committed to completing their work on this item at the earliest possible date. Since setting it up I have had every confidence that FAWAC could make an early and meaningful contribution in a number of areas and I believe that the work which FAWAC is now doing on this particular issue can greatly strengthen existing arrangements throughout the country and help all concerned to avoid cases of the kind which we have seen from time to time over the past few years and in very recent times.
It is important to state that in the vast majority of cases Irish farms are well run and animals well cared for. However, there will be isolated cases where particular circumstances can bring about real animal welfare difficulties on farms. The most important thing that we can do in these instances is to try and spot the difficulties at an early stage and do what is necessary, in conjunction with the farmer, to help alleviate the situation. I believe that the sense of community which still prevails in rural Ireland can play a vital role in this regard, and can be even more effective when coupled with arrangements for dealing with such cases which are standardised, well understood and more responsive but not overly-formalised. It is important that we all encourage any farmer who might have an emerging problem on the farm to seek outside assistance as early as possible.
