Thomas Gould
Question:37. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role his Department is playing to resolve the serious issues in relation to equine welfare in Cork city. [60785/21]
View answerThursday, 9 December 2021
Questions (37)
Written answers
The Programme for Government places a positive emphasis on animal welfare and specifically commits to the continued robust enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
This Act provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare and replaced a number of enactments dating back over a century. The Act was passed, after a lengthy and constructive debate in both Houses of the Oireachtas and came into operation on 6th March 2014.
I am committed to the continued implementation of the Act which is effective and fit for purpose.
My Department enforces the law in this important area, and has addressed and resolved a number of welfare issues in recent years in both Cork City and County, working closely with An Garda Síochána and authorised officers from the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and local authority officials.
Officials in my Department are aware that the issues referred to by the Deputy are in relation to the control of horses on Council land in Cork City.
The Control of Horses Act 1996 provides powers to local authorities, enabling them to control stray and wandering horses in their areas. Enforcement of the Act is a matter for each Local Authority, and they have powers under the act to appoint authorised officers within their area.
Efforts to reduce the number of stray horses are paying off. 817 horses were seized nationally in 2020, down significantly from a peak of 4,923 in 2014.
Figures provided by Cork City Council for the same period show a reduction in horse seizures from 176 in 2014 to 12 in 2020.