In moving that this Bill be read a Second Time I want to point out that first it is a non-party measure. I have been joined in its introduction by a Deputy who sits on the Cumann na nGaedheal Benches and one from the Labour Benches. Its purpose is to provide for the humane slaughter of animals by the use of a mechanically operated instrument so as to ensure instantaneous insensibility to pain. It is laid down in this Bill that the operator, who shall be eighteen years of age at least, shall be duly licensed by the local authority and that slaughter-houses are to be open to inspection by members of the Gárda Síochána and other persons authorised by the Department of Local Government. I am quite certain that very few Deputies have read this Bill because I have, no later than within the last hour, been told here that you could not slaughter pigs by this method at all. Swine are excluded from the operations of this Bill.
Owing to our history in this country we are inclined to be somewhat callous in our treatment of animals. The struggle for existence perhaps prevented the development of the humanitarian spirit in certain sections of the community and blunted finer feelings perhaps or made us forgetful in such matters as these. Other Deputies have said "Oh this Bill is inspired by certain old ladies who have not much to do and go about interesting themselves in these animals!" Perhaps some very estimable ladies do take an interest in this matter but I can quote for you letters of a very hard-headed business man, a man engaged in the cattle slaughter trade who could not for a moment be deemed a sentimentalist in regard to this. I have got hundreds of other letters from very hard-headed business men indeed in support of the Bill.
A licence will be necessary for persons operating these instruments. Licences are issued for twelve months and are renewed annually and there is a very small fee attached to them. "The local authority for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of the Act shall be the respective urban sanitary authorities, and the expenses of enforcing this Act shall be defrayed as expenses incurred in the administration of the Public Health (Ireland) Acts, 1878 to 1919."
Another matter I wish to draw the attention of Deputies to is that the Act shall apply to all urban sanitary districts having a population exceeding ten thousand according to the last published census, and to no other area. That removes the objection of several Deputies who have been speaking to me. It shall come into operation on the first day of January, 1932, provided that Section 1, in so far as it relates to the slaughter of any sheep, shall not come into operation until the first day of January, 1933, which gives ample time. The Schedule to the Bill deals with the prevention of suffering or pain to these animals while they are awaiting slaughter. Paragraph 6 of the Schedule, I think, is important because it is said that most suffering is caused to these animals by the smell or sight of blood of animals previously slaughted in the same slaughter yard. Paragraph 6 provides:
An occupier of a slaughter-house or knacker's yard shall not cause or allow any blood or other refuse to flow from such slaughter-house or knacker's yard so as to be within the sight or (so far as it is practicable to avoid it) within the smell of any animal in the slaughter-house or knacker's yard, and he shall not cause or allow any such blood or other refuse to be deposited in the waiting pens or lairs.
We are not in advance of other nations in introducing this Bill. As a matter of fact, we are years behind most European nations, which is a thing I would also like to point out. I find that in Glasgow, for instance, all pigs are stunned with humane killers thought they do not come under this Bill. In Denmark all animals except in the bacon factories are killed with the humane killer. A Scottish Bill which was passed three years ago excludes pigs, but 75 per cent. of the pigs in Scotland are slaughtered by the humane instrument. Since this Bill was introduced here I see they again brought in a Bill which had been shelved in England for some time, and quoted the fact that the Irish Free State was getting ahead of them in debating this measure. There is a good supply of efficient humane killers. They are simple to work and safe and reliable in operation and not expensive. In 1908 there was an Admiralty Commission appointed to investigate the method of slaughter of animals used for food for the navy. You would hardly call navel officers sentimentalists or old ladies, I presume. This Commission were unanimously of opinion that in the case of every animal stunning should be resorted to before slaughter.
I have here information gleaned from other countries. In France in several Departments, one being the Loire Department, the humane killer for the slaughter of larger animals is used; also in the private abattoirs. In Norway there is compulsory stunning of domestic animals, including tame reindeer. This has been in force since 1929. In Switzerland compulsory stunning of animals, including swine, before bleeding, has been in force since 1893 as a result of a referendum. So we are many years behind them. In Germany the Bavarian Parliament passed a law in 1930 making it compulsory for cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, mules and dogs to be stunned before being bled.
In the State of Anhalt regulations in regard to compulsory stunning apply also to rabbits and poultry, while in Schleswig-Holstein fish are included. That is extensive enough. In Holland humane slaughter is compulsory; in England humane slaughter is enforced in 380 areas by local authorities. I have a list of them here which I shall not delay the House by reading. In Denmark humane slaughter is the rule, but pigs whose meat is intended for export are not slaughtered humanely.
As regards the instruments, you have the Greener Humane killer, the Cash Captive bolt, the Stoff instrument, the Schermer Baeirdorf pistol. So there is a wide selection.
There are many firms in Ireland which use the humane killer. I will take just a few instances of Dublin firms. I have some from the country also. One firm, Michael McDonagh and Company, use this instrument for cattle, sheep and lambs; they have never had a mishap and they found the meat excellent. O'Hanlon's, of Dublin, find it very satisfactory. Williams and Company and Egan Bros. say it is a most profitable investment even from the economic point of view. Eastman's have used the instrument for three years exclusively. Another firm here have used the instrument exclusively for five years, and never had an accident; they find the meat is not injured in any way. Archer's use it for pigs and say that it does not cause as much damage to the head of the animal as the pole-axe in the case of cattle. They find it safe and efficient in the case of pigs. Speidal, pork butchers, Dublin, say it is the best method of killing pigs. Price's, of Dublin, use it exclusively for the killing of pigs, and find it reliable and effective.
I do not think there is need for me to go into all these cases. I have the names of about 150 butchers, including pork butchers, who use it. I think we would only be getting into line with other nations in adopting this method. We can save much suffering to these animals with no extra expense practically, and it is our duty to save these unfortunate animals pain if we can do so, even if it were more costly than other methods, but it is not. As I believe there are not half-a-dozen Deputies in this House opposed to the measure, I move now, without further delay, that it be given a Second Reading.