This Bill seeks power to deal with the musk rat menace, which has lately invaded this country, but which has been known in other countries for some time. They are, so far as we can find out, with the limited powers that we have, already fairly well in the Nenagh district, and they will take some time to eliminate even with the powers we seek here. They have been in England for some time and, up to the present, a considerable amount of money has been expended in an effort to get rid of them, and it is estimated that very much more will have to be expended before the end of them has been seen. We intend, if this Bill goes through, to send an officer of the Department to the Severn Valley, in England, where they appear to be dealing successfully with these musk rats, with a view to securing whatever information he can with regard to the methods adopted. They have brought across a German expert, who appears to be very successful, and we want, if possible, to get a knowledge of the methods that have been adopted there. Senators may, perhaps, think it rather strange that we should provide in the Bill for giving a licence to keep musk rats, seeing that they are so dangerous, but we do not intend, however, to give any licence except to such institutions as the Zoological Gardens or some of the research laboratories. As the House is, I am sure, aware, one of the most successful ways of killing ordinary rats is by injecting them with a certain virus. It is successful, at any rate, up to a certain point. The disease spreads from one to the other until they become immune from it. It might be possible that some of our research laboratories might discover some rather exclusive disease that would attack musk rats and not other animals and we might be able to get rid of them in that way. It is, therefore, necessary to take powers in the Bill to allow these research laboratories, if necessary, to keep musk rats as well, of course, as the Zoological Gardens. The Zoological Gardens, naturally, could be trusted to keep them under proper control, and it might be useful for the purpose of enabling people to see what the animals are like in case they were trying to identify them in their own localities. There is provision for a licence to purchase pelts so that we may, first of all, control the export of these pelts and know what the extent of the business is and, secondly, so that we may prevent people from going into the breeding of musk rats for the purpose of making money out of the awards that may have to be given under the Act for pelts as a means of getting rid of the rats. There is provision, also, for compensation for those who have musk rats. I, personally, know of only one instance, and the Department knows only of one instance, where musk rats are kept under proper control, and I think that there are only seven rats kept by that particular owner, so that the amount to be paid in compensation will be very small. The powers we seek are, I think, all necessary, and they are rather urgent, because these animals multiply very quickly. They multiply practically as quickly as rabbits, and many of us who are from the country, at any rate, know what that means, so that the quicker we get on to the thing the better. As soon as we get the proper authority from the Oireachtas, we mean to lose no time in getting after the menace and getting rid of it.
Public Business. - Musk Rats Bill, 1933—Second Stage.
Question proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
I support the Bill. The Minister has certainly made a case for licensing the keeping of musk rats by research laboratories, but I cannot see any reason why musk rats should be allowed in any other place, the Zoological Gardens or otherwise. Every musk rat in the country, outside those for use by research laboratories, should, I think, be exterminated, and the Minister should consider altering the Bill in such a way as to provide for that extermination.
Question put and agreed to.
Committee Stage ordered for the next sitting day.