§ Mr. LARDNERasked the Chief Secretary whether there is any traffic in worn- 1371W out horses sent from Irish ports to Great Britain or the Continent; if so, from what ports these horses are shipped, their destination, and whether there is any system of inspection of these animals at the Irish ports; and will he state what is the extent of this trade?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt is gathered from reports by officers of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland in charge of ports that a traffic in worn-out horses from Ireland to the Continent, either direct or via Great Britain, does not now exist. Horses leaving Irish ports for Great Britain are looked at by inspectors on duty at the ships' sides. If they see anything in an animal's condition suggesting that it may be unfit for shipment they are instructed to call the attention of a veterinary inspector to the case. Should the latter inspector on examining the animal regard it as unfit it is his duty to serve a notice forbidding its shipment and to report the circumstances. It is only very rarely that any case arises calling for action of this kind.