2026-05-14

With the permission of the House, we will go back to Question No. 91 in the name of Deputy Ó Muirí.

91. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the upcoming report and recommendations of the high-level dog control stakeholder group, particularly in relation to upholding animal health and welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35779/26]

Thank you for your forbearance, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. My question relates to the review of legislation for dog-breeding establishments that is currently under way in the Department.

I thank the Deputy for raising a really important issue which we all take really seriously. Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. My Department has lead policy responsibility within Government for animal welfare and we take it really seriously. I am committed to the policy that animal welfare standards are vigorously applied in a fair and even-handed manner and remain committed to the continued robust enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare. My Department keeps the Act under review in light of key developments in the areas of animal welfare, the law and having regard to the practical lessons learned from operating the Act. Responsibility for all policy and legislation in relation to the Control of Dogs Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 transferred to my Department on 1 June 2025 and 1 August 2025, respectively. This fulfilled a programme for Government commitment, on which I was part of the negotiating team. I was keen that we would get a more consolidated approach to this area. It was to bring a coherent approach to dog control issues by ensuring all legislation and policy in relation to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments rested with my Department. Local authorities retain responsibility for operational and enforcement matters. Inspections of dog breeding establishments are carried out by dog wardens and by my Department. With the transfer of functions, I took over responsibility for the dog control stakeholder group, which Deputy Ó Muirí highlighted. It was established by the then Minister for Rural and Community Development in March 2024 to review the Control of Dogs Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. Its remit is to consider policy and legislative matters in relation to those Acts, including any need for legislative change. The stakeholder group comprises members with a broad range of expertise, including academics, veterinary surgeons, local authorities, farming interests, charities working in the field and animal welfare experts. I expect to receive the report from the group shortly.

I thank the Minister for the update. Ireland is a nation of dog lovers and dogs hold a cherished place in our homes, well ahead of cats. However, it is clear we are playing catch-up on legislation on dog breeding. Dog breeding in Ireland is a growing industry. It is important to say that responsible small breeders do maintain very high standards, but as the sector is growing so too are animal welfare concerns. The Oireachtas agriculture committee heard last month that the number of dogs being put to sleep grew by 10% from 2023 to 2024. Even more alarmingly, this figure increased by 93% compared to 2022. This is a huge growth in the number of animals being put to sleep. The scale of abusive treatment is very concerning and we need to recognise it. This is a lucrative industry. We cannot leave it to look after itself, to self-regulate and to undertake its own enforcement. We have to get ahead of the issue.

I thank the Deputy. I will not fall into the trap of pitting the dog against the cat and which is more popular. I have Sammy, my collie, at home who keeps any cat away. The general public absolutely expects and demands of us the highest animal welfare standards. It is something I am passionate about. Coming from a farming background, I was raised, and I am raising my children, with the approach that if we treat animals well we will treat humans well. A society can be judged on how it deals with issues such as this. There are many different ways to do so. There is policy and enforcement, and the need to change policy as well. I look forward to receiving the stakeholder group's report. I am reviewing all legislation on dogs and I will be guided by the recommendations. At the same time, I am also due to bring the heads of a Bill on dog breeding establishments to Cabinet imminently. This is another area of work I am determined to progress.

It is good to hear the Minister and the Department are taking the issue seriously and I look forward to hearing the recommendations of the stakeholder group. The set-up is a bit unwieldy though. The Department is responsible for annual inspections of breeding establishments but local authorities, such as Dublin City Council, are effectively responsible for enforcement. This creates a bit of a disconnect and a risk of issues falling between the Department and the local authorities. Local authorities may not perform their responsibilities to the same standard across the country. Has the Department considered merging responsibility for inspection and enforcement centrally, either under the Department itself or another agency that would take overall responsibility for inspection and enforcement as required?

A big change that happened with this Government, which was laid out in the programme for Government, is that all of the various elements of dog control have been centralised from previously being across three Departments, including in the former Department of Rural and Community Development. The programme for Government committed to taking this element from that Department and bringing it back to the Department of agriculture because we have responsibility for animal welfare. Local authorities are the employers of dog wardens and have the system in place. We work really closely together with them. I do not see an impediment to how we move forward and improve things further with the current structure. The dog stakeholder group was set up under the previous Government by the previous Minister at the Department of rural affairs. It has a body of work to do, which it has almost completed. There will be legislative change coming out of its proposals and I look forward to receiving its report. I am not waiting for that in the meantime. I will bring the heads of a Bill to Cabinet imminently to improve welfare standards and strengthen enforcement in relation to dog breeding establishments. I am continuing this work because animal welfare and the protection of our dogs are so important.