Response contradicts department claim it could not inspect building at equine abattoir
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The Department of Agriculture was authorised under Irish animal welfare legislation to investigate a building where horses were revealed to have been abused despite claiming to the contrary.
In the wake of RTÉ's report into different issues affecting horse welfare, broadcast last week, the department said that it was unaware of abuses happening at a building adjoining Ireland’s only licenced horse abattoir as it had no jurisdiction to investigate that building, only the slaughterhouse itself.
Footage contained in the RT É report, taken at the now-closed abattoir of Shannonside Foods in Straffan, Co Kildare, showed often distressed horses falling and being beaten with metal pipes whilst being herded within that building towards the abattoir.
At the time, the department had said that it had no remit to inspect the building where those alleged abuses had occurred, despite having official personnel present within the abattoir itself at the times slaughtering was taking place.
However, the legislation governing the inspection of the treatment of animals by officials of the department, the 2013 Animal Health and Welfare Act, states that any authorised officer has the power to “enter and inspect, at all reasonable times, any land or premises where he or she has reasonable grounds for believing that an animal, animal product or animal feed is, may be or has been present”.
In addition, the most recent standard for the management of animal welfare at the time of slaughter, published by the State’s agriculture agency Teagasc in 2022, notes that “the facilities and handling must prevent avoidable pain or injury so that animals do not exhibit fear or abnormal behaviour".
Queried regarding how the department would not have had jurisdiction to inspect the building where the abuses happened in light of the 2013 legislation, a spokesperson acknowledged that any officer of the department “has the authority to enter and inspect premises where issues arise”.
They said that the building in question was, however, “not subject to direct veterinary supervision under the relevant food and feed hygiene regulations which govern the operation of slaughter plants”.
The response calls into question its claim that it could not have inspected the building, given the relevant legislation indicates that it was within its rights to do so.
Operation of the Straffan abattoir was suspended in the wake of the RT É broadcast.
The department’s spokesperson said that it could “confirm that the slaughter plant is currently subject to a legal notice detaining all carcasses presented for slaughter last week”.
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