Members of the European Parliament are scheduled to debate a motion this week (Thursday, June 10) related to a proposal to ban caged farming across Europe by 2027.

The Agriculture and Rural Development Committee motion comes as a result of the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), End the Cage Age.

This citizen-led campaign attracted close to 1.4 million signatures - more than 14,500 from Ireland - backing the call to remove, from farming, the remaining cages, farrowing crates, stalls and pens.

Each year in the EU, about 300 million animals are reared in cages or individual stalls according to a report by Compassion in World Farming.

In Ireland, caged farming still exists in certain sectors, within the scope of existing legislation.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) confirmed that EU legislation currently permits certain species of poultry to be kept in caged or 'colony systems' provided specific requirements are in place.

"For example the European Directive on the Welfare of Laying Hens allows for keeping hens in enriched caged systems where perches must be provided, as well as separate nests and litter areas for pecking and scratching," the DAFM explained.

Currently, there are 3,835,638 registered table egg laying places in Ireland, of which 1,881,394 are caged egg laying places.

At certain stages of production, the DAFM said sows on commercial pig farms are kept in crates/stalls for a "defined period of time in order to facilitate management at farrowing, for example".

On the use of isolation huts, the DAFM said:

"Individually penned calves must have sight, tactile and smelling access to other calves.

"Isolation is only permitted as a hospitalisation technique for calves that are ill, particularly if they are suffering from an infectious disease."

The DAFM is in the final stages of drafting a bill, which will introduce a ban on fur farming, including a prohibition on mink farming.

This bill will make it illegal for any new fur farms to be established, and will provide for the closure of the small number of existing operations.

The DAFM said it awaits the outcome of communication between the Commission and the ECI, which it expects will occur in July.

"DAFM is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for farmers, industry, citizens, and the animals themselves."

Some EU Member States have already gone a step closer to banning certain forms of caged farming.

According to the Compassion in World Farming report, Sweden has banned the use of all cages for sows (sow stalls and farrowing crates).

Enriched cages for laying hens are banned in Luxembourg and Austria, while Germany has committed to a ban from 2025 (in exceptional cases from 2028).

And in September 2020, Czech MPs voted to ban the cage farming of laying hens from the year 2027.

Agriland contacted Irish members of the European Parliament regarding their views on caged farming.