An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told Dáil Éireann that it is a “little simplistic” to link isolated incidences of animal cruelty with dairy expansion.
His comments come after Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns TD claimed that breaches of calf welfare rules aired on RTÉ Investigates on Monday was “just one of the consequences of the unprecedented expansion since milk quotas”.
An Taoiseach stated that “robust and timely actions” will follow any evidence of the mistreatment of livestock, urging anyone who witnesses animal cruelty to report it to the Department of Agriculture.
He pointed too towards increased usage of sexed semen on dairy farms.
Deputy Cairns questioned whether the Government would move away what she characterised as an “expansion and intensification of dairy”.
'Simplistic'
“In response to the Deputy's question, connecting animal cruelty to the expansion of the dairy sector per se is a little simplistic,” an Taoiseach said.
“Sadly, there are people who will mistreat animals no matter how many animals there are and that is the truth of it, just as there are truckers who will break the road safety rules, no matter what they are, and there are truckers who breach the road safety rules while carrying all sorts of things, not just cattle.
“The people who perpetrated this are therefore absolutely against Government policy and against the laws we pass in this House.”
Criticism
Deputy Cairns alleged that poor calf treatment is not isolated to uncommon instances of abuse and that the RTÉ investigation showed the consequences of Government agri-food policy.
“Bull calves who survive beyond their first week and who are not killed in a yard or slaughter house routinely suffer terrible abuse,” she claimed.
“This scandal is a direct consequence of Government policy that has pushed intensification and maximum production in the dairy sector.
“This failed model has also resulted in pollution of our pristine waterways, the degrading of our soil and an increase in our emissions.”
The TD also questioned whether the move “away from dual breeding” is Government policy.
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An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told Dáil Éireann that it is a “little simplistic” to link isolated incidences of animal cruelty with dairy expansion.
His comments come after Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns TD claimed that breaches of calf welfare rules aired on RTÉ Investigates on Monday was “just one of the consequences of the unprecedented expansion since milk quotas”.
An Taoiseach stated that “robust and timely actions” will follow any evidence of the mistreatment of livestock, urging anyone who witnesses animal cruelty to report it to the Department of Agriculture.
He pointed too towards increased usage of sexed semen on dairy farms.
Deputy Cairns questioned whether the Government would move away what she characterised as an “expansion and intensification of dairy”.
'Simplistic'
“In response to the Deputy's question, connecting animal cruelty to the expansion of the dairy sector per se is a little simplistic,” an Taoiseach said.
“Sadly, there are people who will mistreat animals no matter how many animals there are and that is the truth of it, just as there are truckers who will break the road safety rules, no matter what they are, and there are truckers who breach the road safety rules while carrying all sorts of things, not just cattle.
“The people who perpetrated this are therefore absolutely against Government policy and against the laws we pass in this House.”
Criticism
Deputy Cairns alleged that poor calf treatment is not isolated to uncommon instances of abuse and that the RTÉ investigation showed the consequences of Government agri-food policy.
“Bull calves who survive beyond their first week and who are not killed in a yard or slaughter house routinely suffer terrible abuse,” she claimed.
“This scandal is a direct consequence of Government policy that has pushed intensification and maximum production in the dairy sector.
“This failed model has also resulted in pollution of our pristine waterways, the degrading of our soil and an increase in our emissions.”
The TD also questioned whether the move “away from dual breeding” is Government policy.
Read more
‘Vile scenes of abuse’ of calves in some marts - Kerrane
'Utterly unacceptable' - Minister McConalogue on calf welfare breaches
Department of Agriculture investigating RTÉ PrimeTime calf footage
Cork Marts will ‘take all necessary actions’ in full review of calf handling
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