§ DR. FITZGERALD (Longford, S.)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland if the dishorning of cattle is an illegal operation in Ireland; and, if so, will he take steps to enforce the law, so as to prevent this cruelty being inflicted upon dumb animals?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN,) University of DublinThe law on this subject is at present in a somewhat unsettled state. In England the Queen's Bench Division decided, in 1889, that the practice of dishorning cattle as proved before them was illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. In Ireland, the Exchequer Division had previously, in the year 1884, come to the same conclusion. A contrary decision, however, had been pronounced by the Common Pleas Division in Ireland in the year 1885, on the evidence presented to the Court as to the character and effects of the practice, which evidence (as Lord Coleridge observed) was very different from that given in the English case; and in Scotland the Court of Session appear to have also decided in favour of the legality of the practice. The matter recently came before me officially. It appeared to me desirable that the opinion of the Queen's Bench Division in Ireland should be taken on the point, upon full and satisfactory evidence, and for that purpose I gave directions that the attention of the police should be called to the matter, with a view to instituting a 546 prosecution if the practice were found to continue to exist in Ireland.
§ DR. FITZGERALDIn consequence of the answer of the right hon. and learned Gentleman, I beg to give notice that I will call attention to the subject on the Estimates, and move the reduction of the Vote.