andMr. Moore asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made by the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Protection of Animals in the matter of a convention on the welfare of laboratory animals and if a draft will be submitted to national governments for approval and for suggestions before finalisation.

8.

andMr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health if he has received a reply from the Medical Research Council regarding the intensifying of the search for alternative techniques which would lead to the progressive decrease in the number of live animals used in medical and scientific research; and if he will give the text of the reply.

: With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.

The Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Protection of Animals at its meeting in January 1978 commenced consideration of the question of a convention on the welfare of laboratory animals, as I told Deputies on 5 April 1978 in answer to a previous question on this matter. The committee of experts is not expected to meet again until October or November, 1978 and, therefore, there is no progress to report.

Ireland is represented on the committee by the Department of Agriculture which has been asked to maintain liaison with the Department of Health in regard to issues associated with the use of live animals in experiments. It is usual for the Council of Europe to submit draft conventions to national governments for observations and approval before finalisation.

With regard to the intensification of research into alternative techniques to experimentation on live animals, I am in correspondence with the Medical Research Council on this matter and will keep Deputies informed of developments.