Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 November 2012
670. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the progress made on the implementation of the EU Directive 2010/63/EU on the use of animals for scientific and medical research purposes; and if he will confirm if the existing primary legislation here, which is in many aspects stronger than the provisions of the EU Directive, will be retained in the process of incorporating the Directive. [50132/12]
View answerI do not accept that existing measures relating to the protection of animals used for scientific purposes set out in the 1876 Cruelty to Animals Act as amended provide a higher level of protection to those set out in Directive 2010/63/EU. Indeed, I am very much of the view that the new Directive will considerably strengthen the protection of animals still needed for such research and safety testing. The Directive needs to be considered in its entirety to appreciate the full scope of the protections afforded to animals. These include mandatory provisions that will minimise the number of animals used and require alternatives to be used wherever possible, while ensuring a level playing field for EU industry and enhancing the quality of research conducted in the EU. The "Three Rs" principle of replacing, reducing, and refining animal testing is firmly anchored in the new legislation and I endorse this development.
The new Directive will be transposed into Irish law during November and will become operational from 1 January 2013. I would also like to advise the Deputy that the Irish Medicines Board is to be designated as the Competent Authority for Directive 2010/63/EU. The transposing regulations will set out enforcement provisions, including penalties, that will apply when the provisions of the Directive are not complied with. These penalties will be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. I would, finally, like to draw the attention of Deputies to the comments of European Environment Commissioner Potocnik who has said that the European Union will, once the Directive is transposed, have the highest standards of experimental animal welfare in the world.
