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Dublin, Ireland - Shechitah Excluded from New Regulations |
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Dublin, Ireland - Ritual killing of animals by Jews and Muslims is to be excluded from a new European Commission animal welfare regulation dealing with conditions for slaughtering animals.
Six of the 35s laughter plants currently approved by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food provide ritual slaughter techniques.
Animals which are ritually slaughtered are not stunned beforehand, but have their throats cut while fully conscious. Orthodox Jews and Muslims are not permitted to eat meat unless it is kosher or halal.
‘‘As freedom of religion is enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and also considered in the protocol on the protection and welfare of animals annexed to the treaty, that takes precedence in this particular case,” said a Dublin spokeswoman for the commission.
A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture said the number of animals slaughtered using these methods varied greatly from month to month. ‘‘Orders are usually made on a batch basis, depending on the customers’ requirements,” he said.
The European Commission began a research project two years ago on issues relating to religious slaughter. The project is due to end in October 2009, with proposals to reconcile the demand for religiously-slaughtered meat with requirements of animal welfare.
The regulation adopted by the commission will bring existing rules into line with food hygiene regulations. It will also require regular monitoring of stunning equipment, to ensure that stunned animals do not regain consciousness before being killed.
The regulation now has to be approved by the European Parliament.
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Read Comments (4) — Post Yours »
1
Sep 27, 2008 at 10:59 PM bigwheeel Says:
It's nice to hear that the Irish [Agriculture] authorities are exempting Shechita [and Halal] regulations from their requirement to stun the animal first. Historically, the campaign, opposing Shechita was conducted by the foremost anti-Semitic groups, under various pretexts of sparing the animal the pain of Shechita!
2
Sep 28, 2008 at 12:05 AM murray Says:
Tremendous set-back for PETA, glad to hear it!
3
Sep 28, 2008 at 03:15 PM Anonymous Says:
It's not Ireland that's doing this, it's the EU, which makes a change. The commission is based in Ireland. Please read carefully.
4
Sep 29, 2008 at 06:30 AM Anonymous Says:
Ireland is bowing to the EU which is bowing to the Muslim population. Jews have little to do with this. The EU is afraid of its Islamic populace.