Seán Haughey
Ceist:259 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the research, if any, that has been carried out in Ireland to look for welfare-friendly alternative to close confinement systems for breeding sows; if Ireland has ever applied for EU funding to carry out such research; if so, if the application was successful; the plans, if any, he has to make any money available to do such research in view of the fact that tethering has entered a phaseout period and there is now pressure from animal welfarists for the ban to extend to stalls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5726/96]