Carol Nolan demands funded enforcement after Offaly donkey cruelty
Carol Nolan highlighted scenes of horrific animal cruelty to a donkey in Offaly and urged the government to establish a funded enforcement regime for animal welfare laws. She said the donkey and other animals have been rescued and cited a separate incident in Moneygall where a sheep farmer lost 50 lambs to dogs.
Call for funded enforcement
Nolan asked the government to commit to setting up a regime that will be funded and will enforce animal welfare laws, arguing current laws are not being obeyed and a more robust enforcement structure is required.
Incidents cited
She referred to footage of a defenceless donkey in her own county of Offaly and said that animal, along with others, had been rescued. She also described an incident in Moneygall, County Offaly, where a sheep farmer had 50 lambs destroyed by dogs.
Government response
The minister responding described the footage as very upsetting and agreed that enforcement on dangerous dogs and the wider issue of animal welfare must be stepped up. The minister said they would take the matter up with colleagues.
Broader remarks on health services
The minister also commented on a separate review about bringing stable patients to Ennis rather than the main emergency department in Limerick, saying the change had made a small difference and that Ennis would need resources if it is to take more patients.
Implications
Nolan framed the incidents as evidence that stronger, funded enforcement is necessary to ensure people obey animal welfare laws and prevent further cruelty in Offaly and elsewhere.
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As you will be aware, scenes emerged last week of horrific animal cruelty to a defenceless donkey in my own county of Offaly. Since then, I understand that the animal has been rescued along with others, but what this clearly shows is that our animal welfare laws are not being obeyed and that we need a more robust regime to deal with animal welfare. We also saw in the case of a sheep farmer who had 50 lambs destroyed by dogs in the same county, in Moneygall and County Offaly. So what I am asking you to do is commit government to setting up a regime that will be funded and that will enforce these laws to make sure that people obey the animal welfare laws. Go to Macdonald, 30 seconds. Macdonald, 30 seconds. Yes, thanks. Just in relation to Deputy Nolan's question, I saw the footage the other day and it was very upsetting to think that anyone would treat an innocent animal or donkey in that way and then sort of take pleasure of videoing it and then putting it online. I just thought it was really, really appalling and I agree that we need to step up enforcement when it comes to dogs and dangerous dog enforcement, but also the wider issue of animal welfare, which you raised. I will certainly take that up with my colleagues. To Deputy McNamara and his question there, I have not seen the outcome of that review. I am told that the decision to bring stable patients to Ennis rather than into the main emergency department in Limerick has made a difference. It is a small difference, but it has made a difference and I think it is the right thing to do. I do agree that if Ennis is going to take more patients, even if they are stable patients, they will need the resources to do that, otherwise we will just move the problem to somewhere else and we do not want that to happen. Thank you. Thank you very much. We willace. Thank you very much. I will have one. We are back.
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