Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021
773. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 568 of 20 January 2021, if his Department has a list of the locations of the animal testing laboratories; and if the list will be published. [5565/21]
View answer774. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the body with responsibility for the inspection of laboratories involved in animal testing and the treatment and condition of animals within those laboratories; and the regime of inspection. [5566/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 773 and 774 together.
My Department does not maintain a list of establishments that are authorised to perform research and testing under the scientific animal protection legislation. As the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the competent authority in Ireland for S.I. No. 543 of 2012 (as amended) the HPRA maintains a list of all authorised establishments. However, in order to protect the welfare of animals held in these establishments, as well as the safety of the staff working in them, the HPRA is not in a position to share this list publicly.
The HPRA conducts inspections of authorised establishments in accordance with a risk assessment policy that has been elaborated based on European Commission guidelines on inspections and enforcement within the framework of the scientific animal protection legislation. The HPRA advises that the treatment and condition of animals in the relevant establishments are properly looked after, in accordance with the standards specified in Directive 2010/63/EU.
