Animal Welfare

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2022

Tuesday, 5 July 2022

Questions (890)

John McGuinness

Question:

890. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will reopen the investigation into the general health of horses owned by a person (details supplied) given that the original problem was never resolved and persists; if an independent authority will be appointed to review his Department’s files on the case; if so, if the authority will be given a remit by his Department to investigate all available options to eradicate the disease; if the use of equine or similar treatments has been considered as a possible solution; if his Department will engage immediately with the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35706/22]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department’s laboratory and veterinary staff have engaged with Mr Madigan and his veterinary advisers on many occasions over the past twenty years or more regarding his concerns about the health status of his horses.

Comprehensive clinical and laboratory investigations have been undertaken by private veterinary practitioners, by my Department’s laboratory specialists, and by other specialist veterinary experts from the Irish Equine Centre and University College Dublin’s School of Veterinary Medicine, that were engaged by my Department.

However, none of these investigations have revealed any evidence of a clinical illness in Mr. Madigan’s horses that could be attributed to a specific infectious disease and no evidence was found to support Mr Madigan’s concerns about an infectious disease impairing the performance of his horses.

Therefore, my Department does not believe there is any indication for further investigation of Mr Madigan’s horses at this time. Any consideration of the use of licensed remedies is a matter for his veterinary practitioner. The specific product referred to, ‘Equimune,’ is not currently licensed for use in Ireland.