My Department has responsibility for the administration of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. As the Deputy will recall, this Act was passed following a constructive and extensive debate and all sides of this House engaged in the issues in a spirit of co-operation, significantly improving the Bill in the course of its passage. This legislation serves to support and underpin the welfare of all animals, including horses. It is implemented by my Department's officers at regional office level, who are assisted in this work by authorised officers of the ISPCA and the DSPCA.
Matters relating to abandoned horses fall to be dealt with by local authorities under the Control of Horses Act 1995 or by an Garda Síochána as a road traffic matter or an offence under the Animals Act 1985. The facts of each particular case will dictate applicable legislation. With regard to the scale and evolving pattern of this problem, it should be noted that the number of stray/abandoned horses seized by Local Authorities in 2017 was 1,549, down from 4,923 in 2014.
There have been 8 successful prosecutions taken by my Department concerning unnecessary suffering and negligence in relation to welfare of horses since the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. A further 2 cases remain before the Courts.
I am aware that a number of cases are being prepared by An Garda Síochána for submission to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In other cases, the Director has directed prosecutions in respect of files submitted by An Garda Síochána but I have no definitive statistics in this regard.