asked the Minister for Justice if in January of this year he received a memorandum dealing with the practices of vivisection and compulsory vaccination in Ireland, together with a petition asking to have the practice of vivisection prohibited by law in the area of the Irish Free State; if so, if he is yet in a position to say what action, if any, he intends taking in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Vivisection and Vaccination.
I have received a petition asking to have the practice of vivisection prohibited in Saorstát Eireann. The petition is receiving consideration.
Will the Minister say when he will be in a position to indicate what he intends to do?
I could not name any particular date.
asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that, according to the last returns issued by his Department under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, more than 2,000 experiments upon living animals were performed in the Irish Free State during the year 1928, the vast majority of these being performed in Dublin; if the Minister will say how many of these experiments were actually witnessed by the Inspector working under the Act.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Inspector under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, is not expected to be present at all experiments conducted under that Act. The Inspector was actually present at a large number of experiments, but no record is kept of the exact number.
asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that the residence, 78 Morehampton Road has been registered for vivisection, and whether any Government supervision has been, or is being, exercised over experiments in this place.
The Deputy has been misinformed. The residence 78 Morehampton Road has never been registered as a fit place for vivisection experiments. The question of Government supervision does not, therefore, arise.