Three parties interested in opening horse slaughter plants

Three separate parties have expressed an interest in opening a horse slaughter facility, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed.

However, the Department would not comment on the details of the applications or where the proposed factories are located.

“Three notifications of intent have been submitted to operate as an equine slaughter premises, one of which has passed this initial stage,” a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture said.

“The applicant is currently engaging with the relevant departments and agencies to progress to the application stage,” the spokesperson added.

When asked where the applicant factories are located, the Department insisted that it “does not release details of proposed facilities while applications are under consideration”.

“There has not been any refusal of an application to open an equine slaughter plant over the past two years,” the Department added.

Export for slaughter

A total of 1,215 horses were certified for export for slaughter from Ireland over the last two years, the Department confirmed.

“This data is taken from the TRACES system, the European Commission’s online platform for animal and plant health certification,” the Department spokesperson said.

The Department of Agriculture suspended operations the country’s main horse slaughter facility – Shannonside Foods, which was based in Straffan, Co Kildare – in June 2024. This followed animal welfare abuses at an associated facility.