Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 14th November, 2017.

I, Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 36 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 (No. 15 of 2013), hereby make the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Circuses (Prohibition on Use of Wild Animals) Regulations 2017 and come into operation on 1 January 2018.

2. In these Regulations—

“circus” means a travelling exhibition or show where animals are used for the purpose of performance, manoeuvres and shows or otherwise and a reference to a circus includes a reference to any place where animals used in a circus are kept or trained;

“wild animal” means an animal of a kind not commonly domesticated in the State.

3. A person shall not use, or cause or permit another person to use, a wild animal in a circus.

4. Regulation 3 is a penal provision to which section 36 6(4)(a) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 applies.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

9 November 2017.

MICHAEL CREED,

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations provide for the prohibition on the use of wild animals in Circuses.