Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2012
646. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when EU Directive 2010/63/EU will be implemented; the process of public consultation he has or intends to employ and the scrutiny period that will apply in the Houses of the Oireachtas preceding implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51566/12]
View answerDirective 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes significantly strengthens the protection of animals still needed for research and safety testing. The directive strongly promotes the principles of the three Rs (replacement of the use of animals to the greatest extent possible with alternative testing methods, refinement of scientific procedures to improve animal welfare and reduction in numbers of animals used). Significant changes in this regard are requirements to perform ethical evaluations prior to authorisation of projects using animals and higher standards of care and accommodation. Many of the provisions set out in the directive are mandatory. The directive will be transposed into Irish law during November, 2012 and will take effect from 1 January, 2013.
My Department sought the views of the public and interested parties in July, 2009 on the proposed directive. These views informed Ireland’s position as negotiations on the proposed directive progressed at EU level. My Department again sought the views of the public and interested parties in October, 2011 after the adoption of the directive. Officials of my Department have met with stakeholder groups including animal welfare groups in relation to the Directive's provisions. My Department has recently met with consultants of the Irish Anti Vivisection Society and with Research and Development establishments in this area. The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) has also had meetings with stakeholders to inform them of the requirements which will apply from 1 January 2013 and has updated its website with relevant information.
I appreciate the time and effort devoted by individuals and stakeholder groups in this regard. The submissions received in response to the first public consultation were particularly welcome as the directive was still under discussion at that stage. The second public consultation, of necessity, had a different focus given that the directive was already finalised at that stage. The responses to the second public consultation are, consequently, primarily focused on the nuts and bolts of the transposition process itself and are of particular assistance to the Department in this regard.
On the matter of scrutiny of the Directive, in July 2009, my Department provided an information note to the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny on the then proposed directive and indicated that the transposition of the directive would be done by Statutory Instrument in order to ensure that this transposition would be implemented within the allowed timeframe. Failure to do so could delay the considerably enhanced protections the new directive provides for animals - a circumstance which animal protection organisations would, quite correctly, take issue with. It could also result in EU infringement proceedings against the State during the forthcoming Irish Presidency of the European Union. I am sure the Deputy would agree that it is important to transpose the considerably enhanced protections afforded to animals in the directive without delay. The joint committee, after consideration of the proposed directive, agreed that no further scrutiny was required, given that the aim of the proposal is to improve the existing 1986 directive and in view of the scope allowed in the directive for member states to decide on practical transposition measures.
In the run up to the implementation of the directive, the Department and the IMB, which is the designated competent authority responsible for the implementation of the directive, will continue to consider the views of stakeholder groups.
