Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 to make provision for an Animal Sentience Committee with functions relating to the effect of government policy on the welfare of animals as sentient beings.

The Animal Sentience Bill 2024 is the first of its kind in this State. I thank the dedicated animal rights activists who suggested it, some of whom are supporting us today in the Gallery. The Bill does two main things. First, it establishes a legal definition of sentient animals for the first time under Irish law. Second, it makes a requirement for Government policies to be considered in terms of their impact on sentient animals. It does this by setting up an animal sentience committee comprised of suitably qualified animal welfare and environmental protection experts. This must include representatives of animal welfare and environmental protection organisations. This committee would then examine Government policies to determine if the Government is taking all due account of the ways in which the policy might have an adverse effect on the welfare of animals as sentient beings. If not, the committee would then make recommendations for steps the Government should take to remedy this.

The Bill further requires that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine must lay a response to the committee's recommendations before Dáil Éireann within three months. This would ensure that the committee's recommendations cannot simply be ignored by the Government but must be acted upon. A similar Bill, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, was recently passed in the UK and similar legislation also exists in the Spanish state. It is an idea whose time has come.

It really is incredible that we already have extensive consultations with all sorts of interests and lobby groups whenever the Government proposes to do something. We also correctly have environmental impact assessments, gender impact assessments and equality impact assessments. We have no assessment, however, of the impact of Government policies on sentient animals. This Bill addresses that gap by establishing a process for evaluating and addressing the impact of Government policies on sentient animals. If such assessments were in place, many of the barbaric practices that continue to cause untold suffering and pain to animals would not be allowed.

A society that truly considered its impact on sentient animals would not allow unnecessary and cruel animal testing. I introduced a Bill last week to ban animal testing for Botox. It would not allow inhumane factory farming methods. I hope to shortly introduce a Bill to stop inhumane practices in the pig farming industry. It would not allow hare coursing. Campaigners have been calling for a ban for many years. I introduced a Bill to do that in 2020. It is the longest-standing Bill in what is called the lottery of Bills that are dealt with every second Thursday afternoon.

Unfortunately, the major current legislation on animal welfare is the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. It is hopelessly inadequate to deal with these or any other forms of animal cruelty. A prime example of this is that although the Act prohibits causing unnecessary suffering to animals, whether physical or mental, it contains a specific exemption for "lawfully coursing a hare", despite it being such a completely clear-cut example of unnecessary animal suffering.

The Irish socialist George Bernard Shaw once said, "Man’s inhumanity to man is only surpassed by his cruelty to animals." He was right. Radical reform of our outdated and inhumane animal welfare laws is long overdue. This Bill would be a small step in this direction. I hope it will contribute to a better future for all animals who share this planet with us.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the Bill opposed?

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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It is not opposed.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Cuireadh an Dáil ar fionraí ar 1.21 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 2.01 p.m.

Sitting suspended at 1.21 p.m. and resumed at 2.01 p.m.