Animal directive becomes law

A new EU directive banning experiments that inflict severe pain on animals has been transposed into Irish law.

Health Minister James Reilly said the legislation would apply from the start of the 2013 and would “considerably strengthen the protection of animals still needed for research and safety testing”.

The regulations are titled the European Union (Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2012. They introduce significant changes, including higher standards of animal welfare, care, and accommodation, as well as a requirement to perform detailed project evaluations before projects using animals can be authorised.

It is understood that a number of animal welfare groups met with the department to express their views on the legislation, including the Irish Anti-Vivisection Society.

The IAVS has already hit out at the Government’s intention to implement a loophole clause with the directive which would allow in “exceptional and scientifically justifiable” instances for “the use of a procedure involving severe pain, suffering or distress that is likely to be long-lasting and cannot be ameliorated”, including the use of non-human primates in experiments.

The use of non-human primates for experiments is prohibited in Ireland and the initial position in the directive is the banning of severe and prolonged suffering in lab animals.

Member states must apply to the European Commission for the use of such experiments if they decide to implement the loophole clause.

The health minister defended inclusion of the loophole, despite the fact other countries chose to exclude it when transposing the directive.

The Irish Medicines Board will be the body responsible for enforcing the legislation.