351. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the review of the Control of Horses Act 1996, and the replacement legislation will be published, in order to address systemic horse cruelty and mismanagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28026/25]
Topics / Animal Welfare
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsAnimal Welfare
386 questions from 67 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
386
questions
382 written, 4 oral
67
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
8
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 8 |
| March 2025 | 15 |
| April 2025 | 34 |
| May 2025 | 4 |
| June 2025 | 8 |
| July 2025 | 12 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 18 |
| October 2025 | 22 |
| November 2025 | 35 |
| December 2025 | 4 |
| January 2026 | 12 |
| February 2026 | 42 |
| March 2026 | 17 |
| April 2026 | 47 |
| May 2026 | 41 |
| June 2026 | 19 |
| July 2026 | 7 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 13 |
| October 2026 | 27 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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49
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37
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34
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24
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22
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17
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15
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14
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
146. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether a ban on fox hunting should be introduced. [25589/25]
740. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the mistreatment of horses in Clonmel, County Tipperary (details supplied); the steps he is taking to ensure that those who are responsible for this cruelty are held accountable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25943/25]
1174. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that unlawful animal traps are being sold by, and dispatched from, a company (details supplied); and if he will arrange for these cruel traps to be confiscated and destroyed and the company prosecuted for breaching legislation. [18876/25]
1315. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reasons elephants were moved from/to Dublin Zoo in the recent years in light of the fact that transport of elephants is a stress source for the animals and potentially increases mortality by 50%. [20510/25]
1316. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has considered that Dublin Zoo does not provide elephants with the appropriate environment where they could forage foods naturally; the potential this has on their welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20511/25]
1317. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has taken steps to ensure optimal temperatures for elephants in Dublin Zoo, given that wild Asian elephants have evolved and lived in tropical and subtropical climates. [20512/25]
1669. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to make a statement on the allegations of mistreatment of horses at a certain food supplier (details supplied) brought to light by an investigative programme in June 2024; whether he is aware of any violations of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2023; and if he is investigating allegations of microchip tampering. [18569/25]
1670. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the steps his Department has taken to ensure accountability following public allegations of animal abuse at a certain food supplier (details supplied). [18570/25]
1671. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is currently monitoring or auditing slaughterhouses, or holding facilities for notable breaches in animal welfare and traceability; and whether his Department has issued any internal or external guidance or policy updates in response to recent allegations of animal abuse at a certain food supplier (details supplied). [1…
1686. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of thoroughbred horses that have been subjected to wind surgeries in Ireland over the past five years (details supplied); and if he will consider banning these highly invasive and unethical operations, given that their sole purpose is to maximise air flow into a horse's lungs to improve performance and increase chances of winn…
1689. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of an incident (details supplied); the plans he has in place to ensure that those who commit animal cruelty face the full force of the law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18954/25]
1690. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of calls his Department received via the animal welfare hotline in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [18971/25]
1715. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has considered reviewing and updating the Control of Horses Act 1996 and related enforcement systems to address concerns around equine welfare, public safety and legal oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19841/25]
1728. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the legislation governing the sale, importation and welfare of exotic animals in light of a recent incident (details supplied); his plans to update this legislation; if a record exists of such animal imports; and if so, the location that such records are published. [20159/25]
1744. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the recent report by an organisation (details supplied) on breaches in pig welfare in Irish pig enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20508/25]
1745. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the reported investigation on pig welfare that his Department has undertaken since the revelations by an organisation (details supplied) on breaches of animal welfare legislation. [20509/25]
592. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the cause of a death of a hippo in Dublin Zoo (details supplied); and the steps that have been taken by the zoo to avoid this reoccurring. [16546/25]
593. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an independent investigation will be carried out into the condition of hippos in Dublin Zoo after contact by an organisation (details supplied); if the results of that investigation will be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16547/25]
594. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to respond to the call by an organisation (details supplied) to phase out the keeping of elephants in Dublin Zoo; whether he accepts the evidence provided; and whether he will announce a phase out of elephants from Dublin Zoo, starting with a prohibition on breeding and a ban on the import of elephants to Ireland. [16548/25]
753. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the protections that are in place for wild animals, such as the zebras; if legislation is required in Ireland to buy, sell or keep them, or to import them into the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16659/25]
754. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will instruct his Department to examine the conditions in relation to horse drawn carriages to ensure these animals are not placed under excessive stress such as when carrying excessive loads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16669/25]
755. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to combat animal welfare issues relating to the treatment and abuse of horses and ensure a higher standard and compliance with animal welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16671/25]
756. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the incident in which a foal was killed on a Dublin road (details supplied), in an area with a high concentration of horses; if, in order to prevent this in future, he will instruct his Department to look into setting up stables in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16676/25]
766. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to support animal welfare and Ireland’s animal welfare charities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16790/25]