Parliamentary questions

Plant Protection Products

Maureen O'Sullivan

418. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Coillte has only conducted one water test on the impacts of Cypermethrin; and if he will initiate independent testing on random sites to ascertain the impacts of this poison on flora, fauna, water, soil and human health, given that it is an endocrine, immune system disrupter in mammals. [29208/15]

Plant Protection Products

Maureen O'Sullivan

419. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Forest Service, as the regulator of the Irish forest sector, has not conducted any testing or monitoring of the impacts of Cypermethrin on soil, water, flora, and fauna in Irish public forests, as 100,000 litres of this toxic chemical have been used by Coillte over a ten year period. [29209/15]

Plant Protection Products

Maureen O'Sullivan

420. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent of the use of Cypermethrin in Irish agriculture, horticulture, and aquaculture; the number of litres that have been used and the number of years involved. [29210/15]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

101. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of additional information regarding the way in which animals belonging to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare were treated by the Turf Club and Horse Racing Ireland; if there has been an investigation or an examination of the facts surrounding this person's grievance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27861/15]

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

184. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 28 April 2015, if he will confirm the names of the two former fur farm operators who have ceased to hold licences within the past three years. [27042/15]

Animal Welfare Bodies

Maureen O'Sullivan

16. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria used to allocate animal welfare grants; if the process is transparent for all groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25948/15]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

42. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in light of the management of dog pounds going out to tender for the first time, if his Department will conduct inspections to be certain the highest standards are maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25949/15]

Control of Dogs

Maureen O'Sullivan

302. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all dogs are scanned for microchips in pounds at present; if this is a legal requirement; if not, his plans to make it compulsory under the new microchipping legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25743/15]

TB Eradication Scheme

Maureen O'Sullivan

327. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine notwithstanding the lack of scientific evidence linking badgers to the spread of tuberculosis to cattle, if he will initiate a programme of vaccinating badgers, carried out by his Department's staff and-or volunteers, to replace the cruel badger cull which is destroying badger populations, in view of a recent analysis (details supplied) that has proved the vaccination of badgers to be very cost efficient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26190/15]

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Maureen O'Sullivan

497. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will list, in tabular form, the representations received by him, his Department and his Department’s Ministers of State on any negotiations on the European Union-United States of America Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership or negotiations by any other name on the same subject; if he will provide a full list of the persons and organisations from whom these representations came; the number of meetings he, his ministerial colleagues or Department officials have had with interested parties regarding the agreement; with whom they were held and the date on which they took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22465/15]

Bovine Disease Controls

Maureen O'Sullivan

12. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of a report (details supplied) and the findings of the study that badgers avoid fields of cattle and farm buildings containing cattle, if he will acknowledge that badgers have been wrongfully vilified; if he will accordingly suspend his Department's practice of badger cull, which to date has resulted in the snaring and killing of a large number of badgers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18538/15]

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

168. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the number and names of active fur farms at present; if any fur farms have closed in the past three years; if any applications have been made to establish new fur farms; if so, the species the potential fur farms are seeking to breed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16778/15]

Hare Coursing Regulation

Maureen O'Sullivan

176. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he is taking to address the situation in Clonmel, County Tipperary during the national coursing meeting, where hares were kept in captivity for numerous days, when the coursing was cancelled due to bad weather, contrary to hare maintenance guidelines set out by the Irish Coursing Club (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10182/15]

Bord na gCon

Maureen O'Sullivan

314. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that all records and information on greyhound microchipping is available to the general public; if he will instruct the Irish Greyhound Board and Irish Coursing Club to release records of compulsory microchipping of greyhounds into the public domain, to ensure transparency in the industry with regard to animal welfare; his views that there is no reason for said information to be secretive or exclusive to certain bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12878/15]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

135. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of a recent hunting report (details supplied), which reveals that a fox was hunted by 37 hounds for over 13 miles, if he will acknowledge the cruelty involved and remove the exemption for fox hunting from the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6665/15]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

152. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the fact that due to the cancellation of a national coursing meeting in Clonmel, County Tipperary, due to weather conditions, hares were kept in unnatural and stressful captivity overnight at the venue, while awaiting the meeting to recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6664/15]

Inshore Fisheries

Maureen O'Sullivan

283. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 219 of 25 November 2014, if he will provide a copy of the terms of reference, scoping information or direction provided for this programme of risk assessment undertaken by the Marine Institute in respect of species protected under the annexes of the habitats directive, which was referred to in the response; if he will provide a copy of any reports, findings and recommendations and all outputs the Marine Institute prepared in the execution of the risk assessment for species protected under the annexes of the habitats directive, which was referred to in the response; when the risk assessment was conducted; the resources that were made available to the Marine Institute to execute this study; if he will provide a copy of the guidance from the Commission, which he referred to in his response; if he will provide a copy of the programme of measures, which he referred to; the priorities identified; the way these have been prioritised; the way their delivery is being addressed, and the resources that are involved; the persons responsible for the programme of measures he referred to; if any report on the programme of measures is available; if he will provide a copy of same, or if he will indicate when it will be available; if the programme of measures referred to the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union on case c-183/05 or if he will specify what the programme of measures is in response to; when the further programme of measures and outcomes referred to, as being necessary, are going to be specified; if he will specify what they pertain to; if he will provide a copy of same, if they are available; if he will provide a copy of the Commission opinion on the programme of measures which he referred to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7098/15]

Environmental Policy

Maureen O'Sullivan

266. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulations in place in relation to rodent control as there are concerns that bags of rodent poison are causing the deaths of birds. [5482/15]

Inshore Fisheries

Maureen O'Sullivan

219. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he will take to address the calls from groups such as Irish Wildlife Trust, BirdWatch Ireland, Coastwatch and numerous other agencies to ban tangle nets from inshore fishing here as they are causing indiscriminate capture of marine life including critically endangered species such as angel sharks and protected species such as whales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44794/14]

Hare Coursing

Maureen O'Sullivan

36. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that hare coursing is now a criminal offence in Britain, Northern Ireland and much of Europe, if it is time to make this barbaric so called sport a practice of the past, follow in the footsteps of Australia by replacing live hare coursing with drag coursing to ensure no loss of jobs in the industry; if he acknowledges the extent of injuries to hares and greyhounds to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40058/14]

Departmental Investigations

Maureen O'Sullivan

266. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rationale for his Department effectively disbanding the special investigations unit which was a very effective unit in ensuring that standard legal requirements in terms of animal welfare were being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43116/14]

Beef Industry

Maureen O'Sullivan

92. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that his Department does not know the ultimate beneficial ownership of many, if not all, beef processing plants licensed to operate here and is not concerned to know; in view of this if he will report on how, ultimately, the regulations affecting those plants are enforceable; where there are breaches, if he will indicate where penalties are applied; if there is a real risk to the operation of market forces where plants, seemingly in competition, are in fact collaborating because they are in common, concealed, ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42328/14]

Control of Dogs

Maureen O'Sullivan

37. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if cardiac injection is used in the killing of dogs in dog pounds; if so, how it is compatible with new animal welfare legislation; if this product was used by a pound (details supplied); if so, when was Clare County Council aware of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39337/14]

Beef Industry Irregularities

Maureen O'Sullivan

41. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 105 of 18 September 2014, his views on concerns that the operation of price-fixing and cartel-like practices seems to be invited and encouraged by the structure and particular characteristics of the Irish beef market; his further views that the Department's ignorance as to ultimate beneficial ownership of individual beef processing plants is an encouragement of price-fixing and cartel-like practices in the Irish beef market; his views on concerns that there is evidence of, or even a tradition of, price-fixing and cartel-like practices in the Irish beef market, to the detriment of both producers and primary producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39367/14]

Harbours and Piers Development

Maureen O'Sullivan

232. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the destruction of the pier at East End village, Inishbofin, County Galway, the focal point of an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Wild Atlantic Way; and if proposals have been brought to his attention for the replacement of the pier, the essential infrastructure around which the whole East End village has grown up since the pier’s construction in the 1870s and an attraction to the tens of thousands of visitors attracted to Inishbofin each year. [36988/14]

TB Eradication Scheme

Maureen O'Sullivan

10. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason he is pursuing a badger cull when guarantees have been given about rolling out a vaccination programme for badgers infected with TB; the reason his Department is tendering for the provision of 25,000 units of biological material, which are essentially body bags for badgers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35173/14]

Beef Industry

Maureen O'Sullivan

105. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is satisfied as to the identity of the individual persons who enjoy ultimate beneficial ownership of each meat processing plant currently operating here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34913/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

539. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a dog pound (details supplied) in County Clare is killing dogs through intra-cardiac injection with no sedation given; if he will confirm that the practice is no longer being used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30855/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

601. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the five racehorses that died from injuries at Clonmel races this month, if he will strengthen regulations in the horse racing industry; if his Department will carry out its own investigation into the deaths of the five horses, despite the fact that the Turf Club cleared Clonmel racecourse of any wrongdoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29695/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

609. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason no sufficient advertising was carried out by his Department to announce the publication of the draft code of practice for the fur farming of mink; the reason no invitation was advertised for public consultation; the reason no date of publication was published on his Department's website including a deadline date for public submissions or an email address to send the public submissions; the reason no real consultative process was carried out with animal welfare groups inviting their formal submissions for the draft code of practice; if the current drafting of a code of practice for circuses is open to public consultation; where on the website this information is available; his views on extending the deadline for both submissions in view of the lack of sufficient public awareness of this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29927/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

610. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to a camel escaping from a circus in Fermoy on the evening of 2 July, 2014; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this is the second time a camel has escaped this year; his views that this is evidence of the inability of circuses to adapt to the nature and needs of wild animals; if he will consider a ban in view of the dangers posed to wild animals such as possible escape; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29928/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

413. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the continuing campaign to stop Irish and European companies trading with China for angora wool products which involves the live plucking of the fur of an angora rabbit every three months over a four to five year period; if his attention has been drawn to companies here still buying angora wool from China; his views on introducing regulations for businesses trading in animal products with other countries in order to prevent the exploitation of animals in those countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26893/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

419. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if animal welfare groups were included in the consultation process undertaken by his Department and stakeholders on the use of animals in circuses; his plans regarding the publishing the draft code of practice for the use of animals in circuses; the way he will ensure a code of practice will be adequate in the protection of animals used in circuses; if he considered the concept of banning the use of animals in all circuses here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27010/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

27. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is committed to engaging in the outstanding issues he referred to at the Animal Health and Welfare Conference which took place on 16 May 2014 in Dublin Castle; if he is committed to re-engaging on the outstanding issues of hare coursing, digging out of foxes, badger culling, fur farming and the use of animals in circuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26098/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

538. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what was involved in the invitation process in the lead up to the Dublin Castle animal welfare conference held on 16 May 2014; the way his Department selected requests to attend; the reason hunting organisations were invited while other animal welfare groups were not invited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26096/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

539. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the latest incident which occurred in Tipperary town involving a pony being abandoned after it was driven into a heavy wooden fence while participating in a sulky race; if his attention has been drawn to the excessive speeds at which these ponies are driven often by children as young as ten years on Ireland's busy roads, and that the horses being too young end up enduring serious damage to their underdeveloped joints and ligaments during a race; if he is aware of the risks these races are placing on those animals, children and other road users; if he will prioritise this animal welfare and public health issue ensuring that local authorities carry out their obligations under the Control of Horses Act (1996); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26097/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

540. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure there are sufficient strict regulations that coursing will not take place in weather conditions that are adverse and difficult for the animals in question, hares and greyhounds; and if so that coursing events will be cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24286/14]

Bord na gCon Remit

Maureen O'Sullivan

3. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 90% of the Irish Coursing Club's funding is provided by dog registration fees; if he will propose a complete transfer of the function of greyhound registration from the ICC to Bord na gCon; if he will amend existing legislation governing the greyhound industry to include this transfer of powers; his views that the hard-pressed track racing industry would benefit greatly if Bord na gCon were to become a registering body for greyhounds here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20572/14]

Hare Coursing

Maureen O'Sullivan

170. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if testing for illegal substances was carried out at all the smaller hare coursing events leading up to the grand final at the national coursing meeting; if not, if he will extend drug testing to all greyhounds at all hare coursing events and consider carrying out testing for banned substances at hare coursing events; if his Department will conduct its own investigation into the incident of the six greyhounds that tested positive for banned substances at the national coursing meeting, separate from the internal Irish Coursing Club inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20578/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

171. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulations as prescribed by his Department for dog training schools and for dog trainers themselves; the procedures in place for complaints of any abuse of animals made by trainers in these training schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20579/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

172. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the National Parks and Wildlife Service's licensing unit for the granting of licences to kill pine martens comes under the remit of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and not under that of his Department; the level of communication and information sharing that exists between the two Departments in respect of animal issues; his views on whether his Department should oversee all animal welfare issues as emphasised in the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20580/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

173. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the cramped and filthy conditions that animals, including tigers are forced to live in at some circus encampments here; if circus encampments are regularly checked by animal welfare officers; the monitoring carried out to ensure that high standards of animal welfare are maintained in the animal entertainment industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20581/14]

Departmental Schemes

Maureen O'Sullivan

174. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to better target public money towards the protection of the environment in his Department's agri-environment schemes and as called for by the Irish Wildlife Trust's submission under the rural development programme; if his Department has plans to undergo a formal assessment and evaluation of the mistakes made in respect of the REP scheme, such as the lack of environmental targets and generic measures applied across all farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20582/14]

Hare Coursing Regulation

Maureen O'Sullivan

145. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to the six greyhounds that participated in this year's national hare coursing festival testing positive for banned substances, if he will have the Irish Coursing Club extend drug testing of greyhounds to all hare coursing events; his views on having his Department initiate its own drug testing at these events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18183/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

456. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an investigation is pending regarding the recent reports of an incident where the carcases of dead horses were left in a field in Clonmel, County Tipperary, earlier this week until locals became aware of same and that carcases were then moved to a halting site and put into a shed where staff of the local council found them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14757/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

471. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to an incident last week involving the carcases of dead horses found in a field in Clonmel, County Tipperary, and the subsequent removal of the carcases to a site which was later discovered by local councillors; if he will commit to reinforcing animal protection for horses in view of the burning of a horse in Dublin last November; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15086/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

26. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the regulations in place for sulky racing due to the significant concerns regarding the welfare of the horses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13832/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

31. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider an outright ban on the inhumane practice commonly known as the digging out of foxes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13831/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

864. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider an outright ban on the use of animals in circuses here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13271/14]

Animal Breeding Regulations

Maureen O'Sullivan

898. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 192 of 6 March 2014, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that greyhound owners who are against hare coursing, still have to register their greyhound for greyhound track racing with the Irish Coursing Club despite objecting to hare coursing on ethical grounds; if he understands the dilemma this places on persons who have to pay money to the ICC regardless of their position on hare coursing; if he will consider transferring greyhound registration from the ICC to Bord na gCon - the Greyhound Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13784/14]

Land Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

357. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will publish the collection of Land Commission records (1881-1982) in the custody of his Department, including correspondence, estate records, family trees, lease-books, tenants’ lists, maps, deeds, wills and so on in a manner comparable to the publication of the pre-1923 Land Commission records by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, on proni.gov.uk, those records having been supplied to the Public Record Office Northern Ireland by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10840/14]

Registration of Title

Maureen O'Sullivan

592. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the land held by a sporting body (details supplied) in Dublin 7 was originally provided by the Land Commission, upon the distribution of the old Monck Estate with a trust set up to oversee the management of the land and the trustees originally appointed by him and registered as legal owners of the land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9332/14]

Registration of Title

Maureen O'Sullivan

593. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is responsible for overseeing the administration of a sporting body (details supplied) and similar trusts, that is, for replacing trustees, arbitrating in disputes and so forth; in the event that this is such a trust, if he will provide a copy of the trust deed which may be dated from the period 1934–1936; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9333/14]

Tuberculosis Incidence

Maureen O'Sullivan

221. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm when the results from several badger vaccination trials will be released; if he will cease badger culling in the meantime in view of the fact that €3.4 million was spent on culling 6,939 badgers in 2012 and only 55 less cattle were diagnosed with bovine TB in comparison to 2011, and in view of the fact that the transmission route is still unknown between badger and cattle; if he will not cease culling, if he will provide a closed season between January and May when badgers cannot be culled as they are breeding and while a detailed survey has not been carried out to clarify present badger populations which may be significantly affected due to years of culling practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8873/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

613. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an organisation (details supplied) recently forcibly ejected two animal welfare campaigners from a national coursing meeting preventing them filming, even though the organisation officials publicly said everyone was welcome at coursing meetings; if he has ever attended or seen film footage of a coursing meeting; and if so under what circumstances he considers coursing a sport. [7573/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

177. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he will take in response to the recent death of a horse during a sulky race in County Tipperary; the current legal status of sulky racing here; his plans to ban such activities which prove harmful to the animals involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7127/14]

Severe Weather Events Expenditure

Maureen O'Sullivan

617. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider some form of compensation for those fishermen who have lost equipment, for example, lobster pots, in the recent storms; if he will further consider a scheme of compensation similar to that for the farming community for fodder when it was adversely affected by weather; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3794/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

277. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the removal of a deer's antlers by sawing or other means constitutes a mutilation under section 11(b) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1943/14]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

288. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the dangers that recent weather events have had on hares and the health implications from being chased by greyhounds in waterlogged fields, frost-hardened ground; if he acknowledges that extreme weather events give a disadvantage to the hare during competitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2084/14]

Forestry Management

Maureen O'Sullivan

641. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 11 December 2013 in which he stated he will not publish the Coillte forestry review, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Coillte is the largest forestry operator operating under the 1988 Forestry Act and is, therefore, fundamentally connected to the new Forestry Bill 2013; the way the new Forestry Bill 2013 will achieve sustainable forest management if older Acts such as the Forestry Act 1988, from which Coillte emanated, are not reviewed and reformed and since the principles of sustainable forest management stem from the Rio Earth Summit in 1992; and in the case that the 1988 Forestry Act predates this agreement, the reason it is primarily focused on the primacy of profit and timber production; the way it will be able to deliver the multiple benefits of sustainable forest management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55461/13]

Forestry Management

Maureen O'Sullivan

642. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with regard to the new national forestry programme, Forest, Products and People, and the EU requirement for a strategic environmental assessment to be conducted on same, his views that the recent SEA which was completed by his Department on the recent forestry review report is complete; if the review of Coillte report is not made available when it was carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55462/13]

Forestry Sector

Maureen O'Sullivan

643. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Coillte has not been in a position to supply the ESB with wooden poles for electrical cables, and the way it is justified that ESB has been importing approximately 40,000 wooden poles at the rate of €600 per pole; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55463/13]

Severe Weather Events Response

Maureen O'Sullivan

676. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role his Department will take regarding the severe storm damage caused to island communities, for example, Cape Clear, County Cork; if his Department will provide assistance for the recovery of areas damaged; if he will address the ongoing transport issues such as access to and from the island; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1456/14]

International Agreements

Maureen O'Sullivan

16. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in relation to the recent meeting of the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives where the majority of EU member states consented to send a letter to the EU Parliament to ask its consent for the conclusion of the protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the EU and Morocco, if his attention has been drawn to the social, political and economic consequences this protocol will have for Western Sahara, and particularly the issue of problematic fishing practices by Spanish fleets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48869/13]

Fish Landings

Maureen O'Sullivan

150. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of landings by non-Irish fishing vessels into the ports of Cobh, Castletownbere, Dingle, Renard, Fenit, Galway, and Killybegs; the tonnage and values of such landings for the year to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53237/13]

Coillte Teoranta Reports

Maureen O'Sullivan

152. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will respond to the Woodland League in calling for the report of the review of Coillte, initiated by the last Government in 2010, to be made public; if he will suspend the passing of the new Forestry Bill until that document is made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53331/13]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

359. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider suspending the hare coursing season during spells of adverse weather conditions and spells of freezing weather when the welfare of the hares and greyhounds is increasingly under threat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51874/13]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

522. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason he has included the docking of dog tails and clipping of dew claws in pups of up to four days old in regulations being drafted under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; if the regulations will require only qualified personnel to carry out such operations; the way in which these regulations are in line with section 12, prohibition of animal cruelty in the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50174/13]

Animal Diseases Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

142. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the death of a dog from the Longford pound due to go to a new home in the UK which was vaccinated for rabies and which, according to the vet, died as a result of a complication from the rabies vaccine; if he will clarify the need for the introduction of a rabies vaccination process for animals being exported to the UK when the UK has been rabies free since 1902; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48457/13]

Animal Welfare Expenditure

Maureen O'Sullivan

504. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the reinforcement by UK officials to have dogs travelling between here and the UK to have a rabies vaccination, if he will consider the increased funding needs of animal rescue centres in the country arising as a result of rabies vaccination costs; if he will extend the family pet 2015 derogation from the rabies vaccination to include rescue dogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42434/13]

Animal Disease Controls

Maureen O'Sullivan

211. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if DEFRA UK has informed his Department of its intention to enforce pet passport regulations for animals being transported to the UK, including the enforcement of rabies vaccinations, micro-chipping of animals, and issuing of passports; if his attention has been drawn to the possible impact this will have on the resources of Irish Rescue centres for costs of vaccinations, costs for animals for 21 days before transportation after vaccination, if he will call for an exemption to the rabies vaccination taking into account that Ireland and the UK are rabies free; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40175/13]

Animal Welfare Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

458. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that world travelling circuses in Ireland are unable to provide adequately for the animals in their care, if he will consider backing a ban on the use of animals in Irish circuses in favour of a circus industry without animals, putting Ireland in line with dozens of countries around the world that have banned animal-act circuses, the most recent being Colombia and the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33454/13]

Natural Heritage Areas

Maureen O'Sullivan

787. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way he will increase protection of the 600 proposed Natural Heritage Areas here; if he is working on proposing areas of conservation in the marine especially in areas exposed to damage from excessive fishing practices such as trawling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26671/13]

Hare Coursing

Maureen O'Sullivan

791. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to statements made by vets as presented in the recent ICABS report, that during cold and wet weather, hares are subjected to health conditions such as pneumonia, pleurisy, peritonitis consistent with septicemia and bacterial infections which compromise their chances of survival during hare coursing meetings; if, in view of this report, he will consider a ban on hare coursing during such adverse weather conditions to ensure that hares have a maximum chance of survival; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26811/13]

Hare Coursing

Maureen O'Sullivan

802. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the statistics collected by ICABS of hare coursing deaths at coursing meetings monitored by the National Parks and Wildlife Service; if he has noted one ranger's account at Liscannor coursing meeting that healthy hares are kept as substitutes in the event of hares becoming injured; if he considers the number of deaths, injuries and euthanasia as constituting a high number; if this contradicts the notion that hare coursing is a non-fatal activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27008/13]

Animal Welfare Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

493. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1068 of 16 April 2013, if he will address the question asked in relation to a person's letter (details supplied) written to his Department which stated a noted increase in movement of terriermen, men engaged in terrier activities, between here and the UK as part of their networking activities and carrying out of terrierwork together; his plans to address this issue; if he has since corresponded with the director of DiggingOut.org; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20394/13]

Fisheries Protection

Maureen O'Sullivan

980. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure, during the Irish Presidency of the EU that there will be no fishing agreement signed between Morocco and the EU in view of the situation in Western Sahara and the issue of territorial sovereignty. [17231/13]

Live Exports

Maureen O'Sullivan

1058. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has received a report on the last consignment of the shipping of cattle from Ireland to Libya detailing the condition of the cattle when they landed, injuries, deaths and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17221/13]

Animal Welfare

Maureen O'Sullivan

1068. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the reported growth of terriermen traffic between the UK and Ireland as stated in correspondence (details supplied); the actions that he intends taking in response to this letter; if he will cease the exchange of terriorwork between the two countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17490/13]

Hare Coursing

Maureen O'Sullivan

624. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the monitoring reports from the National Parks and Wildlife Service which document hare hits, injuries, kills and hares having to be put down due to injuries for the 2011-2012 coursing season; if he is concerned that hares continue to be injured and killed, despite muzzling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8636/13]

Forestry Sector

Maureen O'Sullivan

683. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his response to the recent report published by a company (details supplied) which estimates the State would remain liable for costs of €1.3 billion following a sale of harvesting rights; his views on the report's conclusion that the sale of Coillte's harvesting rights would not bring economic benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5243/13]

Control of Dogs

Maureen O'Sullivan

171. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the recent attack on, and mauling of, a family pet by hounds of a County Carlow based hunt and in view of the clear and present danger posed by hunting dogs to domestic animals, livestock, pets and so on, if he will ban all hunting of wild animals with packs of dogs in the countryside. [4725/13]

Live Exports

Maureen O'Sullivan

561. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the transport of live animals to African and Middle Eastern countries is conforming to the guidelines of the International Animal Health Organisation; the type of inspection of the ships that will be undertaken; his views on standards of slaughter houses in these countries; his view on whether in exporting live animals we are exporting jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2964/13]

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

861. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any of the five fur farms have given notification to his Department that they no longer have minks kept as per the condition on the licence applicable to minks issued under the Musk Rats Act 1933 (Application to Minks) Order 1965 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58171/12]

Animal Welfare Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

868. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Inspectors as authorised officers in relation to the Animal Health and Welfare Bill in relation to non-farm cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1039/13]

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

560. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that a ban on fur farming is going through the Dutch Parliament, the Netherlands being the third biggest for mink fur farming in the world, and Germany phasing out fur farming by 2016, if he will consider the phasing out of fur farming here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56967/12]

Forestry Sector

Maureen O'Sullivan

554. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a scientific expert group concluded last week that Chalara fraxinia spreads either from spores on the leaves travelling on the wind, occurring during summer time or through infected stock; his plans to cease the cutting of hedgerows to prevent the spreading of the pathogen and reduce the risk of spreading it to Northern Ireland, England and Europe [51570/12]

Departmental Staff Promotions

Maureen O'Sullivan

231. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of promotions made in his Department to principal officer higher scale, principal officer standard scale, assistant principal officer higher scale, assistant principal officer standard scale, higher executive officer scale, executive office scale and staff officer scale; the total for all of his Department; if he will provide a breakdown for for 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50969/12]

Ash Dieback Threat

Maureen O'Sullivan

536. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for stopping the spread of Charala fraxenia which is attacking ash trees commonly found in hedgerows across urban and rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49574/12]

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

527. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the wording to ban fur farming was removed from the purpose of the Bill of the Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 during drafting stage; the reason for the removal of the wording and when the wording was removed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44519/12]

Fur Farming

Maureen O'Sullivan

210. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if either he or the Minister for State have met representatives from the fur farming industry; if so, the date on which the meeting took place; and the outcome of that meeting. [43795/12]

Noxious Weeds

Maureen O'Sullivan

457. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the recent upsurge in the prevalence of noxious weeds, including Ragwort and Japanese Knotweed inside the Royal Canal proposed Natural Heritage Area, especially along the recently re-lined sixth level; if he has had any contact with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and or with the Dublin City Manager with a view to addressing the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41371/12]