A LIMERICK TD has called on the Department of Agriculture to prosecute those who are mistreating and abandoning horses, and for the Government to introduce new legislation which will make it easier to track and trace horse movements.

Maurice Quinlivan, Sinn Fein TD for Limerick City, raised the topic of abandoned and ‘wandering’ horses in Dáil Eireann recently, following an “ugly and distressing” incident in a local housing estate, which saw a horse left dying for two days before being euthanised, and another day before the carcass was removed.

The Control of Horses Act requires all horses to be microchipped, have adequate land to graze on and to be kept in a safe environment. Deputy Quinlivan said this was not the case in many urban areas and the legislation is simply being ignored.

He said up to 50 horses were wandering in Limerick estates, but this would not be tolerated in other areas. “Can we imagine a dead horse remaining in situ in a more affluent area? It wouldn’t happen.”

The TD added that the limited green spaces in many estates are being claimed by a “few who allow horses to graze on these public spaces. They often destroy them and prevent children and other people from using them.”

Speaking to The Irish Field, Quinlivan said: “The issue of wandering and mistreated horses in urban areas has been an ongoing issue in Limerick for decades.

“Since being elected, in 2016, I have raised the issue with successive Ministers of Agriculture. The lack of enforcement of chip and pin legislation is creating a space where people can abuse a horse and simply replace it cheaply with another one, without fear of consequence from the authorities.

“The response to countless Parliamentary Questions on the matter is that this legislation is under review. This has been the reflex response for more than three years. This ‘review’ needs to be completed, and it must include a commitment that chip and pin legislation will be fully and aggressively enforced.”

Asked if he would like to see a properly-run horse slaughter facility opened in Ireland to help deal with the problem, Quinlivan said: “My preference is for increased funding for horse sanctuary projects, such as the My Lovely Horse Rescue charity.

“These animals, having suffered so much, should be afforded the opportunity to live in sanctuary. While there will be a need for considerable initial resources, such a focus could ensure in the longer term that cheap foals are no longer available for purchase, bringing us closer to an end of the scandal of abused and misused urban horses.

“The Department of Agriculture need to focus on enforcing existing legislation with a zero-tolerance approach to those who misuse and abuse these animals.”

A spokesperson for My Lovely Horse Rescue told The Irish Field that they have seen an increase in the number of abandoned horses in recent months. “Numbers have risen, there is no control on the breeding of urban horses and no control, full stop, in some counties.

“As for an abattoir, we shouldn’t need them. We should be caring for equines, putting them to sleep in a non-stressful way, not shipping them off for an amount of money.”

Ireland has been without an equine abattoir since June 2024 when the last remaining horse slaughter facility, Shannonside Foods in Straffan, Co Kildare, was closed by the Department of Agriculture following an RTÉ investigation, which exposed unlawful practices at the facility.

The Department subsequently commissioned Professor Paddy Wall to compile a report on horse welfare and traceability issues. Among his recommendations was the establishment of a properly regulated equine slaughter facility in Ireland.

In July 2025, the Department said it was reviewing two expressions of interest in opening a new abattoir for horses. Asked for an update on the abattoir situation, a Department spokesperson said: “Three Notifications of Intent have been submitted to operate as an equine slaughter premises, one of which has passed this initial stage. That applicant is currently engaging with the relevant Departments/agencies to progress to the next stage of submitting a formal application.”