Tony Gregory
Ceist:270 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of farmed mink and farmed foxes here in 2001; and the numbers in each case slaughtered in 2000 and 2001. [1226/02]
Written Answers. - Mink and Fox Farming.
The number of farmed mink kept by licensed mink farms in Ireland varies during the year, depending on numbers slaughtered. My Department records the number of mink on each licensed mink farm at the time of inspection. The number of farmed mink kept on the licensed mink farms in July 2001 was in excess of 70,000. There are no figures available on the number of farmed foxes in Ireland in 2001. The number of farmed mink slaughtered in 2000 was 116,402 and the number slaughtered in 2001 was 140,008. The number of farmed foxes slaughtered in 2000 and 2001 was in excess of 100 in both of these years.
Tony Gregory
Ceist:271 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if fox farms are required to be licensed here. [1227/02]
There is no specific legislation covering the licencing of fox farms by my Department.