Táim ag freagairt an cheist seo ar son an Aire, an Teachta McEntee. I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for raising this matter which provides me with the opportunity to clarify to the House, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, the position regarding the Gaelcholáiste for Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8. The Department is fully supportive of and remains committed to the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin south city area. The Department of Education is currently working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust to ensure continued and clear engagement on the successful transition of Synge Street CBS from a single-sex, English-medium school to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis from September 2026. There has been a growing need for a Gaelcholáiste in Dublin south city to service the Gaelscoileanna in the area, including Bunscoil Synge, which is located beside Synge Street CBS and transitioned from an English-medium national school to a Gaelscoil in recent years. Synge Street CBS is well positioned to meet the growing demand for a co-educational Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 area. It is a welcome addition to the variety and diversity of school choice at post-primary level in the Dublin south city area. Work is ongoing in the Department on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. The development of this policy is informed by the comprehensive consultation process conducted by the Department, as well as international research. This policy will build upon what is currently being achieved under the policy on Gaeltacht education to support the provision of education through the medium of Irish in Gaeltacht areas. It will focus on providing high-quality, Irish-medium education and increasing the proportion of learners receiving their education through Irish. The Minister also intends to launch a survey of primary school communities in the coming months. This survey will ensure we have a greater picture as to what our plans need to be into the future. It is planned that the survey will ask parents for their preference for the language of educational provision in their children’s school - English or Irish. The results of the survey will help us plan how we provide education at primary level into the future. This initiative along with other work will help the Department identify opportunities for increasing Irish-medium provision at primary and post-primary levels.
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As outlined, the Department is and remains fully committed to the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin south city area and is working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust on the successful transition of Synge Street CBS to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis from September 2026. I will ask the Minister to come back directly to the Deputy if he needs clarity on any specific questions. The Department is currently working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust to ensure there is continued and clear engagement with the school in question on the successful transition to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis. Officials from the Department along with officials from ASTI head office are to meet in the coming weeks with the senior management and teaching staff of the school to discuss the professional learning and deployment options available to them. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy.
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With whom?
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I will raise that with the Minister. I cannot answer for her but I am sure everything is happening within the Department. I will relate that back.
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I thank the Deputy for his question. I will be raising the matter with both Ministers. I have a response here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Heydon. Neglect or causing unnecessary suffering to any animal is unacceptable in our society and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is fully committed to the ongoing promotion and enforcement of high animal welfare standards. The Department continues to enforce the law in this important area, as do An Garda Síochána, the Customs service, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine works very closely with these bodies. The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, introduced by the Department, brought all farmed and companion animals, including leisure, sport and working animals, under a single legislative framework. The Act provides a modern framework for applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare. Since the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 came into operation in March 2014, 182 individuals have been successfully prosecuted. The programme for Government provides a commitment to prioritise equine welfare and to build on existing inspectorate supports across the country, ensuring a consistent approach to dealing with horse welfare. Deputy O’Sullivan will also be aware that the Department commissioned Professor Patrick Wall to carry out a root and branch review of our equine traceability system in recognition of how fundamental robust traceability is to ensuring equine welfare. Professor Wall was invited to make representations that would enhance the integrity and security of our traceability system, and deliver improved accountability which in turn delivers better welfare outcomes for our equines. Professor Wall has consulted with stakeholders across the whole equine sector and his report will be published shortly. Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities may take a range of actions with regard to equines, including prohibiting horses in certain areas, the issuing of licences and the seizure of horses in contravention of the Act. These powers can be used in respect of straying horses, which include horses put on land without the owners' permission, including public land. Local authorities may also prosecute offenders. The Department provides funding to local authorities as a contribution towards the costs incurred by them in the operation of the Control of Horses Act 1996. The number of unwanted horses being seized by local authorities reached a peak in 2014 and has declined significantly since then. All legislation in the Department is kept under constant review, including the Control of Horses Act 1996 for which plans for replacement legislation are advancing. The aim of this replacement legislation is to simplify and clarify procedures in the Act, in terms of seizures and disposal of horses. The Department undertook a stakeholder consultation in 2023 on the control of horses legislation, with submissions sought by November 2023. Four submissions were received and will feed into the legislative process. The Department is fully committed to supporting sustainable initiatives in line with the programme for Government and the Working Together for Animal Welfare: Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. As part of this commitment the Department will continue to support urban horse projects nationwide, which can foster community leadership and education in responsible horse ownership for young people. From 2015 to date the Department has spent over €2 million on urban horse projects. There are currently eight live projects and in late 2023 the Department hosted a seminar dedicated to the promotion of the urban horse projects nationwide. The seminar encouraged collaboration and the exchange of ideas and best practices among local authorities and other stakeholders with a view towards enabling more projects to be successfully established.
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I thank the Deputy. I will relay back to the Ministers what the Deputy has said here. In dealing with breaches of equine identification legislation the policy is to adopt a fair and proportionate approach. Authorised officers engage with keepers to ensure that they understand their responsibilities and, where potential breaches of the legislation are identified, they generally provide an opportunity for non-compliant keepers to rectify the position within a specified timeframe. Last year €6 million in funding went to 101 animal welfare charities throughout the country under the animal welfare grant programme. Just over €3.4 million of that was awarded to charities involved in the care and welfare of horses. The Department also operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation. I will relay the Deputy's message to the Ministers.
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