Minister McConalogue Shuts Down Horse Slaughterhouse after Shocking RTÉ Exposé Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has ordered the immediate closure of an equine slaughterhouse in Co. Meath, following the release of a damning RTÉ exposé that revealed instances of “abhorrent cruelty” and animal welfare breaches. The undercover investigation, titled “The Cruelty Business,” aired on Sunday, March 20th, and showed disturbing footage of horses being mistreated and slaughtered in a manner that contravened both national and international animal welfare standards. Minister McConalogue expressed his disgust and condemned the practices shown in the exposé. He said: “The welfare of animals is an absolute priority for me, and I will not tolerate the mistreatment of any animal under any circumstances.” The horse slaughterhouse in question was operated by Kildare Chilling, a subsidiary of Larry Goodman’s ABP Group. ABP has since suspended the company’s operations and launched an internal investigation. According to the RTÉ investigation, horses were being slaughtered without being properly stunned, were being transported in overcrowded conditions, and were not being subjected to ante-mortem inspections to ensure they were fit for human consumption. The exposé also raised concerns about the traceability of horsemeat from the slaughterhouse, with footage showing that some horses had been transported from as far away as the Netherlands. The closure of the horse slaughterhouse is a major victory for animal welfare advocates, who have long called for an end to the practice of horse slaughter in Ireland. Minister McConalogue has pledged to strengthen animal welfare regulations and to ensure that all animals are treated with respect and compassion. The RTÉ exposé has sparked public outrage and calls for the government to take decisive action against animal cruelty. The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) welcomed the closure of the slaughterhouse and urged the authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the mistreatment of animals.

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Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has ordered the closure of a horse slaughterhouse in Roscommon, following an RTÉ Investigates exposé into alleged animal cruelty at the facility. The exposé, broadcast on Tuesday, showed footage of horses being killed in a “brutal and inhumane” manner. It prompted widespread public outrage and calls for the plant to be closed. Minister McConalogue said he was “deeply disturbed” by the footage and had ordered the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) to carry out a full investigation. The FSAI has now completed its investigation and has found that there were “serious breaches” of animal welfare legislation at the slaughterhouse. As a result, Minister McConalogue has ordered the plant to be closed with immediate effect. He has also said that he will be reviewing the licensing of all horse slaughterhouses in Ireland. The closure of the slaughterhouse is a victory for animal welfare campaigners, who have been calling for the end of horse slaughter in Ireland for many years.