THE Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon, is imploring those involved in the equine sector to engage with his Department before January 2nd on the development of a new animal welfare strategy to cover the next five years.

Between now and that closing date, members of the public and industry stakeholders are invited to provide feedback, comment and recommendations to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on the new Animal Health and Welfare Strategy.

The initiative covers animals engaged in sporting or leisure activities, as well as the broader ownership and treatment of animals.

Minister Heydon said Ireland is on “a positive trajectory, but I want to hear from all interested parties as to how our next animal welfare strategy can put us on a best-in-class footing with comparator countries whilst maintaining the progress made under the current strategy”.

Speaking at this week’s Horse Racing Ireland Awards, he said: “I recently launched a public consultation process inviting views to inform development of the new animal welfare strategy for my department in the period 2026 to 2030 and the launch initiates a six week process to the second of January 2026 whereby the public and all interested stakeholders can provide feedback, comment and recommendations to my department with respect to the direction teams and trust of the new animal health and welfare strategy to be launched next year.

“And I urge all of you in this room, because people in this room are as passionate about animal welfare as anybody else, to take the opportunity to make a submission to that public consultation as well, to check out the strategy and contribute towards it, because it’s fair to say that animal welfare topics account for a very significant part of the media queries that come into my office and representations that I received.

“We all take the topic very seriously, and for very good reason, but such scrutiny highlights why it’s so important that we continue to work together.

“HRI has informed me that the new equine care racecourse capital development scheme launched in May 2024 to target further enhancements of race course safety measures will remain open to all race courses with the offer of grants to remain in place until 2028, that’s really important.”

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association will be making a submission to DAFM. ITBA chief executive Peter O’Reilly said: “We will indeed be making a submission as welfare is a key priority for us all and also one we need to be very mindful of.”

A spokesperson for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) said: “The IHRB will share a full report with the Department on our own public consultation into thoroughbred welfare and standards which we carried out recently.”

Among the topics expected to be covered by the new strategy are trade and transport of animals, slaughter and killing of animals, the organisation of competitions involving animals, organising events where animals are on show or performing, and hunting.

Next Wednesday the Dáil is expected to vote on a private members’ bill to ban foxhunting with hounds. Although the bill, introduced by Ruth Coppinger of the People before Profit party, is certain to be defeated, the debate is likely to gain widespread coverage in the media.