Questions

2254. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of recent footage circulating on social media which appears to show greyhounds being kept in conditions giving rise to serious animal welfare concerns at a premises (details supplied); whether his Department has initiated a formal investigation into this matter; the timeline for any such investigation; and if he will…

482. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if heifers remained in the trucks while waiting to be loaded onto the vessel, or were they taken to an assembly centre where they were unloaded, rested, and fed when they were exported from Ireland to Libya on 5 January 2025 (details supplied); if they were held at an assembly centre; if so, which centre(s) were used; the reason for…

974. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the recent death of a horse in a sulky race (details supplied); the current legal status of sulky racing in Ireland; if there are measures to better regulate this practice; his plans for better animal welfare regulations, particularly in the equine sports sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1225…

796. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it has been brought to his attention that the 117 dairy heifers exported to Libya on 5 January 2025, at the time of certification and approval for transport from Ireland to Spain, were intended for onward export by sea to Libya; whether any assessment was undertaken by his Department of animal welfare conditions on that onward jo…

863. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which compliance with existing EU and national feeding and welfare requirements for unweaned animals in transport is monitored and enforced; the number of inspections carried out and enforcement actions taken in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63372/25]

864. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether Ireland plans to support or advocate for stronger protections for unweaned animals during transport in upcoming EU negotiations on the revision of animal welfare and transport regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63373/25]

670. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the urgent steps he is taking to ensure that only fully weaned weanlings are entered in marts (details suppled); if his Department has conducted an investigation into the level of sickness and mortality among exported weanlings; if so, if he will publish the findings; the measures that will be put in place immediately to prevent the…

671. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the minimum export weight for calves remains 40 kg; if there has been any change in policy; if not, the reason calves were under the minimum weight permitted to be exported; if the calves actually loaded on the date stated (details supplied); if not, the reason an incorrect journey log approved by a Departmental vet; the reason a…

103. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the measures being taken to strengthen existing animal welfare laws and enforcement mechanisms; if his Department intends to engage with campaign representatives to progress the aims of Stout's law (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55118/25]

143. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to publish the sanction letter and conditions attached to the €200,000 advance payment made to an organisation (details supplied) in August 2024, together with the balance paid in November 2024; the way in which his Department has verified compliance with those conditions; if there was a connection between this exceptional payment a…

144. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied the advance funding in 2024 was used for agreed purposes and none of the advance funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in 2024 was applied towards legal settlements, redundancy payments, or merger costs without prior Departmental approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50627/25]

316. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the arrangements that are in place to ensure that regional ISPCA facilities, such as the Donegal Animal Rehabilitation Centre, are safeguarded under the new National SPCA structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49460/25]

1778. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to strengthen equine identification and traceability systems, including the enforcement of microchipping regulations, in order to improve animal welfare, prevent fraud and ensure compliance with EU standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46118/25]

1779. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has undertaken or plans to undertake a review of the current legislation relating to carriage horses, with a view to ensuring that the highest standards of animal welfare, safety and regulation are being applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46119/25]

154. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of animal welfare monitoring and oversight at Dublin Zoo; the independent inspections that have been conducted by the National Parks & Wildlife Service under the Zoo Directive during 2024 and 2025; what specific welfare issues, if any, were identified and what remedial actions have been mandated; how he …

1248. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has viewed the Charities Regulators Report 2024 into a charity (details supplied); if further payments will be made to the charity in advance of the publication of the report; if the €200,000 advanced to the charity in August 2024 was sanctioned without any knowledge of the details of the report; and if he will ma…

1249. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the purpose of the advanced grant of €200,000 to a charity (details supplied) in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10859/25]