I propose to take Questions Nos. 781 to 783, inclusive, together.
All persons keeping animals for farming purposed are legally obliged under both EU and Irish national legislation to ensure that those animals are kept in such a way that they are not caused any unnecessary pain suffering or injury. The legislation specifies, for example, that animals kept in intensive systems must be inspected at least once a day and that sick or injured animals must be cared for properly and if necessary, isolated in suitable accommodation.
Officials from my Department carry out inspections on pig farms to ensure compliance with these and other animal welfare requirements. Euthanasia is usually applied on a pig farm where an individual animal is sick or injured, where treatment is not successful or is not likely to be successful and where there is a perceived risk of the animal suffering unnecessarily.
Specific data of the number of sows that die or are euthanised on individual farms is not available.