The Green MEP Ms Patricia McKenna has criticised the current £15 million development of Dublin Zoo, saying that it is still "little more than a prison for wild animals".
In a European Parliament committee debate in Brussels yesterday she said there was "a vital need for clearly defined rules" on what species of animals should be kept in captivity. A number of MEPs called on the European Commission to draft an EU directive laying down minimum standards for the keeping of animals in zoos.