Vol. 435 No. 1
24 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the measures taken to date to implement the Animal Remedies Act, 1993; if any prosecutions are pending following the coming into operation of the Act and the regulations that have been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Animal Remedies Act, 1993, was commenced by Order with effect from 1 October, 1993. Officers have been appointed to exercise the additional powers provided for by the Act and analysts have been appointed for carrying out analytical procedures.
I am in the process of constituting a new animal remedies consultative committee for the purpose of advising on the regulations which are to be made under the Act.
Draft regulations are at an advanced state of preparation and will be presented to the Consultative Committee when appointed. Pre-existing Regulations have been carried forward and are now being enforced as Regulations made under the Act.
No prosecutions are pending as yet in respect of offences which have been detected since the coming into force of the Act. Summonses have issued in respect of 52 cases under the old regulations and these are being proceeded with. A further 22 cases are in the hands of the Chief State Solicitor with a view to issuing proceedings and 43 cases are under investigation in my Department. As the Act is so recently commenced most of these investigations relate to earlier offences.
