Animal Welfare Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2013

Tuesday, 9 July 2013

Questions (458)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

458. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that world travelling circuses in Ireland are unable to provide adequately for the animals in their care, if he will consider backing a ban on the use of animals in Irish circuses in favour of a circus industry without animals, putting Ireland in line with dozens of countries around the world that have banned animal-act circuses, the most recent being Colombia and the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33454/13]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Concerns relating to conditions under which circus animals are kept and managed come under the scope of the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1965. These are the main statutes governing issues of cruelty to all animals. This legislation is enforced by An Garda Síochána and will be replaced by the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 in due course. Any complaints relating to the treatment of circus animals should be made to the Garda Siochána. There are no plans at this juncture to ban animals from performing in circuses in this country.