🚨 🐄 🐑 🐔 🇮🇪 SUBMIT HALAL SLAUGHTER OBJECTIONS TO FineGael...
How & why you should:
Mr. Martin Heydon T.D., Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, "invites submissions, observations and comments regarding where priority should be afforded in the new Animal Welfare Strategy and, by extension, its implementation." The public consultation is now open (see link below).
The term of Ireland’s "first ever Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025 - Working Together for Animal Welfare" is approaching a conclusion and without doubt FG do not want public submissions regarding the practice of non stun halal Slaughter, nor will they necessarily listen to the public if they receive submissions on this. However, EVERY ONE OF US SHOULD SUBMIT OUR OBJECTIONS, AS EACH ONE OF THESE OBJECTIONS WILL BECOME A PERMANENT PUBLIC RECORD (it is also worth submitting objections reJewish Shechita Slaughter, which also can and usually does involve non stun methods, however this takes places to a far lesser extent in Ireland as there are around 3.5 thousand to 4K Jews living here).
There is a HUGE halal export market in Ireland AND a considerable domestic market. Halal slaughtered meat is in the general food supply (in supermarkets, restaurants, takeaways, school dinners, etc).
Data is NOT available on the percentage of animals that are slaughtered in Ireland using a non stun method for Islamic religious purposes. This indicates non stun slaughter takes place more often than the public is made aware of. There is no legal obligation to tell you whether your meat is halal slaughtered (unless a product is specifically marketed to Muslims, in other words, they have an entitlement to know how their food was slaughtered...you do not).
Keep submissions limited to animal welfare concerns so as not to void your submission (in other words, do not object on religious grounds in this instance, While this IS ordinarily a valid objection, it will NOT be considered so in this case).
Fine Gael says: "To build on the achievements of our current strategy a new strategy setting out the broad principles to continue to improve animal welfare in Ireland over the coming years needs to be agreed, developed, and published."
Note the last word "published." They will have to publish info on submissions regarding non stun halal slaughter if they get enough of objections (some halal slaughter may employ the use of reverse stun methods, but data, as previously stated, is unavailable).
It is your duty to stand up against animal cruelty and halal slaughter (and indeed shechita), which can involve great suffering and terror for animals. Animals that are slaughtered using a non stun method are awake & aware as the blade is used to slit their throats. The time it takes to lose consciousness is prolonged. Sometimes, it is up to two mins for larger animals.
People Before Profit are SILENT on this issue, despite their alleged stance on animal cruelty. Other political parties are also silent. Including Fianna Fail, who have historic links to Larry Goodman (who gave them a controversial fifty grand donation previously). Goodman has benefited from halal slaughter for decades, and benefits from tax payer funded Bord Bia marketing in countries outside of Ireland (there's a Bord Bia office in Dubai). The partially government funded NARA (The National Animal Rights Association) is ALSO silent on this issue. Despite running campaigns on much lesser issues such as sheep shearing.
Please submit objections here:
The closing date for submissions is 5:00pm Friday 2nd January 2026
Submissions should be relayed as follows:
By email to:
animalwelfareconsultation@agriculture.gov.ie
Or by post to:
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Animal Welfare Division, Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, D02 WK12.
Or here: https://tinyurl.com/e7nxz8xt