Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
99. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on his Department’s plans to simply and modernise the Control of Horses Act 1996, as per the summer legislative programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18281/24]
View answerThere is a commitment in the Programme for Government to prioritise equine welfare and to build on existing inspectorate supports across the country, ensuring a consistent approach to dealing with horse welfare. My Department provides funding to local authorities as a contribution towards the costs incurred by them in operation of the Control of Horses Act, 1996. Enforcement of the Act is a matter for the relevant local authority. The Act is currently under review within my Department and plans for replacement legislation are well advanced.
The aim of this replacement legislation is to simplify and clarify procedures in the Act, in terms of seizures and disposal of horses. My Department undertook a stakeholder consultation late last year on the Control of Horses legislation, with submissions sought by November 2023. Four submissions were received, these being from the Veterinary Council of Ireland, the ISPCA, Burren Rescue and the County and City Management Association (CCMA). These submissions are being examined and will feed into the legislative process.
One particular element of the review is to examine the continued requirement to have a horse licence, which is seen to have been superseded by the more recent Identification of Equidae Regulations (S.I. no 62 of 2016).
Work on the legislative review is ongoing.
