Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 October 2025
142. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rationale for continuing to permit the slaughter of animals without pre-stunning for religious markets, given that other EU Member States have prohibited this practice on animal welfare grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52203/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is EU and Irish legislation in place for the protection of animals at the time of slaughter. The relevant EU legislation is Regulation No. 1099 of 2009 on the Protection of Animals at the Time of Killing and the Irish legislation is S.I. 292 of 2013, as amended. The legislation requires animals to be stunned (rendered unconscious) before they are slaughtered. However, slaughter of animals without prior stunning, as prescribed by religious rites, is also permitted under the legislation under derogation and it is carried out here in a very limited number of slaughter plants in Ireland.
While a limited number of Member States of the EU have banned slaughter without pre-stunning, there is no EU-wide move to do this and therefore the majority of Member States have not banned this method of slaughter.
