2025-12-10

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Minister of State and I both know that Ireland is a nation of dog lovers. We love our dogs and we love our pups but the reality is many people in Ireland would be absolutely horrified if they knew what the back story of those pups was. They would be disgusted to know that those pups came from a nightmare situation the pup's mother is probably still living through. It is where a pregnant female dog can be bred over and over again in horrific conditions that are dirty, cramped and cold, often with not enough water or light, and where she is matted, covered in sores and not getting any care, love or human interaction. That dog is just seen as this production line to pump out pup after pup. These terrified mother dogs are breeding absolutely terrified pups. What happens in that instance is not only does the mother dog have horrific health problems but the pups have horrific health problems and often have behavioural issues. Those pups are sold to families who are so looking forward to having this gorgeous little bundle of joy in their home. Instead, they get a dog, a little pup, that has never been socialised and may never have had much human interaction because these pups are often fed by automatic machines. This pup then becomes a difficulty and a real challenge for these families, one they are sometimes not able to deal with. It is a conveyor belt of misery and it has huge animal welfare concerns. Puppy farms are a profit model gone absolutely mad. It is a real example of an industry that can gain a huge amount of money at the expense of vulnerable animals but where there is not sufficient oversight of regulations. Rescues are left to pick up the pieces of this and they are exhausted. They are tired and finding it so hard to deal with the number of pups and dogs that are being abandoned at the moment. These are all run by volunteers. They are the ones who get the mother dogs who arrive matted and terrified into their care. They are the ones who get the puppies who are too old to be cute any longer and therefore the breeder cannot sell them, so they dump them. They are the ones who get the puppies that are brought in by families because they were given up due to health or behavioural issues. It is all down to a lack of regulation. Many people will be very surprised and shocked to learn that, at the moment, there is no cap on the number of female dogs that can be in a puppy farm. The legislation envisages there are over 300. It would be incredible to have that many breeding females and their pups on-site. Not only that, there is no mandated number of staff required to be there to look after those pups. We can really see where the difficulties set in. Female dogs can have up to six litters in their lifetime. Dogs as young as four years old, when they are only puppies themselves, can be forced to have their own pups. The dog welfare Bill the Social Democrats are bringing to Second Stage today strengthens the 2010 Act by capping the number of breeding females on-site at 30. It introduces a 16-month minimum age and eight-year maximum age for breeding; a maximum of one litter per year per breeding female; a maximum of four litters per breeding female during her lifetime; a minimum age of ten weeks for pup separation; and mandates a one to ten staff-to-animal ratio for proper care. It also outlaws surgical artificial insemination and other harmful practices. This is a modest Bill. We are not coming into this Chamber saying every single puppy farm in the country should be shut down. We want them to be properly regulated and we want the welfare of dogs and pups to be at the centre of this. This Bill will go a long way to ensuring that we are caring for those dogs properly. I am interested to hear what the Minister of State has to say. I hope that the Government can work with us on this. It is something that has huge support from the public and that they really want to see happen. I thank Dog Law Ireland for its support for this Bill, as well as Dogs Trust and Wicklow Animal Welfare, which I have worked with very closely over the course of this. I also give a shout-out to all those rescues who put in so many hours looking after our animals.

I thank my colleague, Deputy Jennifer Whitmore, for all of her work on this issue and all of her passion on it. Ireland's dog breeding system operates without any real oversight or much compassion and it desperately needs to be addressed. Something many people are not aware of is that we are the puppy farm capital of Europe. Thousands of dogs are exported from here every year and flown all over the world. It is ridiculous, cruel and incredibly lucrative. We need restrictions on the number of breeding dogs and the number of litters they can have over their lifetime. Without that, the system will continue to encourage breeders to push dogs way beyond their limits. We all know what the consequences of that are: dogs kept in appalling conditions and not getting the treatment they need; dogs who spend every waking minute terrified and in pain; dogs who are not socialised and have serious behavioural issues; and puppies that are born into simply horrendous conditions. The current staffing guidelines are absurd. It is recommended there is one staff member for 25 breeding females. If each of those has a litter of six, we are talking about one person being expected to care for 175 animals. That is not animal welfare; it is systemic neglect. Dogs need care and attention. They need to be fed, watered and loved. No one person can provide that for 175 dogs. Breeding standards should prioritise welfare over profit. Anyone working in animal welfare will tell you the same thing because they are the ones who are picking up the pieces of a system that encourages people to mass-produce animals like they are products to go on a shelf. Rescues are held to strict standards. They face inspections, audits and endless paperwork and scrape by on tiny grants from the Department of agriculture. Meanwhile, another arm of the same Department gives out breeding licences with almost no limits. How can a Department demand rigorous standards from those saving animals while giving free rein to those churning them out? It is completely ridiculous. Skibbereen Animal Rescue was founded in 1998 by Anita Douglas, who sadly passed away last year. She was an extraordinary woman who cared deeply for the animals in her care. During the pandemic, she took out a loan and used her pension to cover the costs to do this. That is who this broken system leans on. People like Anita hold everything together while puppy farms flourish. We need to fix this and we can. We need to cap the number of breeding bitches, restrict the number of litters, fix the staff ratios and fund rescues properly. If we want to be serious about dog welfare, we need to catch up and we need to do it now.

I commend the work of Deputy Whitmore in preparing this legislation that has come before us today. "We're full and still they come" were the words of Limerick Animal Welfare in the media yesterday. It described 2025 as unprecedented, with a year-round surge in puppies and kittens being surrendered to it. This is in advance of what it and many other rescues will see in the swathe of animal surrenders, mostly dogs, in January and February of next year. Rescues are doing a remarkable job on behalf of this State but to meaningfully address this problem requires strengthening the legislation. My colleague, Deputy Whitmore, has introduced evidence-informed legislation that would go a meaningful way towards ending the cruel practices currently facilitated by a lack of regulation in Ireland. For most of us, the only way to try to stamp out puppy farms is to not give them the business they need to continue but this Government can do a whole lot more than that. I isolate the role of local authorities here. Are councils resourced to really enforce the current legislation when it comes to unauthorised developments, specifically with regard to puppy farms? Are we resourcing councils with adequate dog wardens and facilities in this regard? Ultimately, are we taking this issue seriously enough? More than that, the Government could choose to facilitate this Bill going to Committee Stage to debate its merits and talk in detail about what strengthening it would look like. This Government likes to be the best and top of the class in European comparisons. Ireland is the capital of puppy farms and puppy deportations. That is not a list we want to be top of and this legislation would meaningfully address that.

I thank my colleague Deputy Jennifer Whitmore for her work on this Bill. Her work in bringing this proposed amendment forward is a step towards ensuring that dogs and puppies are treated correctly. I also thank Dogs Trust and Dog Law Ireland for their work to make sure that dogs are given a chance to be loved and treated properly. As I said yesterday during the briefing in the audiovisual room, how we treat our dogs is so important because they are sentient beings. This is a political issue. In fact, I would say it is a "pawlitical" issue that can no longer be ignored. As my colleagues have all said, Ireland having the horrific title of being the puppy farm capital of Europe is not something that any of us should be proud of. Breeding puppies for profit and forcing mother dogs to be continuously pregnant to produce puppies is just beyond cruel. In the audiovisual room yesterday, Dogs Trust told people about the state of the mother dogs and puppies that come to them when rescued. They told of the horrific conditions that these unscrupulous breeders are keeping the dogs in. I have to say that it was sickening to the stomach. Ireland is supposedly a country that loves its animals but, having heard what we heard yesterday in the audiovisual room, I really doubted that, to be honest. If people knew what was really happening on puppy farms, they would think twice before buying a puppy. This Bill and Deputy Whitmore's work will, I hope, bring closer the reality of people realising that the cute little puppy they are getting may have had a shocking start to life that affects every part of its life. It may mean that the puppy fails to thrive and may die prematurely. I am imagining the number of puppies that will be gifted this Christmas. I am also imagining the joy of somebody getting a little puppy at Christmas - or any time of the year but apparently it happens a lot at Christmas. I do not agree with this because dogs are for life and not for Christmas, as one advertisement used to tell us long ago. When puppies have that shocking start to life, they have a reduced chance of survival. If a puppy is failing to thrive, imagine the huge vet bills a family could wrack up trying to save the little thing's life, and then it dies. If children are involved, there will be absolute heartbreak. I am a mother of four and we have had pets that reached the end of their lives. It devastates children, but this is preventable. Deputy Whitmore's Bill sets out to prevent cruelty against poor puppies and their mothers having lives that are absolutely awful. It is a start in that process.

It is often said that a dog is man's best friend. In Ireland, we are no different. Who of us do not remember the old stories of Cú Chulainn, who was named after the hound, or Fionn mac Cumhaill and Bran? There are nine Irish breeds of dog, the most famous being the wolfhound. We have a proud and long history in our mythology and society of a wonderful relationship with dogs. Unfortunately, we also have a history of cruelty to animals in this country. Less than six months goes by in any year, and we hear of some conviction, investigation or a tragic case of animal cruelty being uncovered. These disproportionately involve dogs. Dog farms are not the only area of animal cruelty. We see it in fox hunting, the treatment of greyhounds by unscrupulous people, dog fighting and the inhumane treatment of farm animals. At the heart of this Bill is not a question about how dogs should be treated but, rather, how we, humans, must act with care not cruelty, with connection not exploitation, in harmony with animals rather than only seeking to profit off them. It should be known in this House that the psychology of those who harm animals and exploit them is often a precursor to more violent and exploitative actions against other humans. It has been very well documented across the psychiatric profession and in research that if one is cruel to small animals in particular, it is a leading indicator of cruelty, antisocial behaviour and disorders. In particular, cruelty towards dogs can often be a precursor to sociopathy. This Bill is crucial in addressing human behaviour, ensuring we are good stewards of the animal kingdom and especially for those we call our best friends. At its core is also the question of how a society should behave. How we treat animals is how we will eventually treat our planet, our fellow human beings and, indeed, ourselves. It is the great false narrative that somehow animals are precluded from the rules that govern societies. That is not the case. There is a natural cycle of things, yes, and of how animals are predators and prey, eat and are eaten, are part of our domestication and are undomesticated. That natural cycle can be twisted to the cruel and inhumane. That is a reflection of us, of our humanity and our role in a planet we share with the animal kingdom and, ultimately, of who we become. Let us be the best version of ourselves, the one that values and cares for dogs and other animals, one that prevents cruelty and does not tolerate it, one that corrects injustices and does not turn a blind eye, one that ensures that we live up the better angels of our nature, our humanity and the concert in which we live with all living beings. Let us make sure we make Ireland a great place for dogs.

I thank Deputy Whitmore for bringing this Private Members' Bill before the Dáil. As an avid animal lover, I agree with a lot of what is in her Bill. I hope we can work together to implement it. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon, has asked me to relay his apologies for being unable to be here this morning, and to clearly state that the area of animal welfare broadly, as well as that of dogs specifically, is of utmost importance to both him and his Department. On behalf of the Minister and the Government, I am putting forward a 12-month timed amendment to the Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill, a Private Members' Bill, the reasons for which I will outline. The Government fully recognises the significance of this policy area. The timed amendment allows time for the deliberative processes relevant to the area we are discussing, and that are already in train, to reach their conclusion. The Minister is confident these processes will come to a landing zone that will be well aligned with many of the principles of this Private Members' Bill, as introduced and clearly and passionately articulated by Deputy Whitmore. Before I reference those processes, I will provide some background information and context with respect to the issues at hand. Deputies will be aware it was a programme for Government commitment that the somewhat disjointed approach to dog control issues be addressed by ensuring all legislation and policy in relation to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments rest with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In this respect, it is positive to be able to report and confirm that policy responsibility for dog control was transferred to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, with effect from 1 June 2025, and for dog breeding establishments on 1 August 2025. It is important to note that local authorities retain responsibility for all operational and enforcement matters. They have the power to appoint dog wardens, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on-the-spot fines and take court proceedings against owners. The Government's commitment to this area is exemplified by the enhanced funding across a number of streams. The Minister asked me to reference near-term funding initiatives in the animal welfare space, including the provision of the now annual tranche of funding to qualifying animal welfare charities, which include several dog charities. Furthermore, the Minister was also pleased to recently confirm that local authorities will continue to be resourced into next year, to the tune of €2 million overall, with respect to the retention or appointment of additional dog wardens in 2026. Coming back to the proposed 12-month timed amendment to Deputy Whitmore's Bill, the rationale for this is to allow for sufficient time for the Minister and his Department to consider the outcomes with respect to two deliberative processes that are ongoing in this area, both of which will inform policy and legislative considerations from public, stakeholder and expert perspectives. The first is a public consultation process, which is ongoing, to inform consideration of the next Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine animal welfare strategy for the period 2026 to 2030. At the launch of that public consultation last month, the Minister indicated that animal welfare is a topic of enormous and growing importance, both to farmers and to the broader public in respect of how society values and treats all animals, including dogs. He went on to say that as the bar in respect of animal welfare continues to rise, he wants to hear opinions and how his Department's next animal welfare strategy can put Ireland on a best-in-class footing with comparator countries, while maintaining the progress, as evidenced by our achievements to date. Moving on from the second deliberative process, the Minister asked me to highlight, with respect to the policy specifically on dog control and breeding, that a high-level dog control stakeholder group was established in 2024 to consider policy and legislative matters in dog control, breeding and welfare areas, which includes consideration of legislative provisions under the dog control Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. The report and recommendations of the dog control stakeholder group are anticipated in early 2026. The Minister is awaiting the deliberations, report and recommendations of the group, which has been meeting quarterly to consider numerous issues in the dog control and breeding space, including, but not limited to, legislative change. The Bill set out by Deputy Whitmore focuses on the specific aspects of policy that have formed part of the deliberations of the dog-control stakeholders group, and in particular the work of one of the sub-groups which, as part of the process, has spent significant time specifically focusing on dog-breeding establishments. The Minister hopes and trusts that Deputy Whitmore will accept his modus operandi when he asked me to relay that this timed amendment put forward by the Government is less about the merits or demerits of her Private Member's Bill, as proposed, and more about the Minister acting in the future upon processes that this and previous Governments set in train. The Minister has indicated he is very happy to consider the need for legislative change in this space and will engage proactively with all interested parties in doing so. I want to compliment Deputy Whitmore. I heard her outlining the purpose of her Bill on "Morning Ireland" this morning. She has a lot of support on this side of the House. I am an avid dog lover myself. I take in rescue dogs. In the little area where I live, there are more dogs than people. I know Deputy Whitmore is very passionate about this, and I know her party is very passionate about it. It is an area that has to be addressed, and it has to be addressed soon. I know the Deputy is anxious that something be brought forward before the 12-month period. We will push to do that, but I will ask that the officials meet with Deputy Whitmore and brief her on where everything is at and make sure she is consistently contacted and kept informed on what is happening. I would like us to work together. I know the Deputy is very passionate about reducing the time. I cannot give a commitment on that now, but I will ask the officials to meet with her and see if we can reduce the timeframe on that. I will get back to her on that. If I can get back to her before 12 noon, I will. I thank the Deputy for bringing this Bill forward; it is a very important one. I hope the House and the Government will be able to bring something forward fairly soon.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Casaimid anois go dtí na Daonlathaithe Sóisialta.

I congratulate Deputy Whitmore on a brilliant piece of work. While I welcome that the Government is not outright opposing this Bill - I do appreciate that and we all welcome it very much - I have to say it is frustrating and disappointing because we hear this line consistently from the Government that we do not put forward solutions, and yet the last three pieces of legislation this party has put forward have all been served with timed amendments. They are not complex pieces of legislation that would require the Government to do that. To me, it really feels like these are being kicked down the road, unfortunately, when essentially there is no reason we cannot progress to the next Stage and deliberate more fully. I would say the same of our previous Bill, which was to reduce the voting age to 16, for which we know there was Government support from certain Members, and of our Bill that originated in the Seanad to provide free transport to victims of gender-based violence. As a new TD, it is something that really stands out for me. When my team and I meet voters in Rathdown, we are always meeting people with dogs. These are pets that are treasured family members. They are vital companions for many in our community. They are well cared for and loved and they enjoy safe homes and kind treatment. However, not far from the border of my constituency, at Mount Venus Road, many animals are cared for by the NSPCA. These are dogs that have experienced the most cruel treatment and neglect. Although we love our animals, we have to do better in protecting them, and this Bill allows us to do just that. Ireland has earned a shameful title as the puppy farm capital of Europe. It is not a badge of honour; it is a stain on our conscience. The Bill put forward by Deputy Whitmore will end the cruelty, secrecy and profiteering that has defined this industry for far too long. Every year, 30,000 puppies are churned out like products on a factory line. They are shipped from Dublin to places as far away as Singapore, and while the puppies are sold for thousands of euro, their mothers are left behind in cages, forced to repeat the cycle again and again until their bodies give up. This is not farming; it is the mass production of misery. The Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 was supposed to protect animals but instead it opened the floodgates. Many councils appear to have handed out licences rather than confront the logistical challenges of seizing dogs. This legislation is facilitating, instead of regulating, large-scale commercial dog breeding, and now Ireland has become the world's supplier of designer puppies - cavapoos, pomskies, cockapoos; cute names masking ugly realities. Obtaining a licence to breed in Ireland does not guarantee animal welfare. A fully-licensed farm can have one staff member responsible for 175 dogs and still be in compliance. We have seen dogs living in piggeries, fish boxes and their own filth, and we have seen puppies sold online, only to drop dead within weeks because of bad breeding and a terrible start to life. Families are then left heartbroken, children traumatised, and the animals themselves suffer unspeakably. While the cruelty is obvious, the economic crime is hidden. Tens of thousands of dogs are sold each year, often for €500, €1,000 and €5,000 each. Much of this trade is unregistered and untaxed. This is money that could instead be funding inspections, veterinary care or public services. This unregulated puppy farming is not just animal abuse; it is a thriving black market. We cannot keep pretending this is a niche problem. It is a €120 million industry. It is global and growing. If we do nothing, Ireland will continue to export cruelty for profit. If we act, Ireland can show that we genuinely care about animal welfare. A puppy is not a product. A kennel is not a factory. Animal welfare is not optional.

I will begin by thanking Deputy Whitmore not only for bringing forward the Bill, but also for the passion she brings to the area of animal welfare. I refer to the idea of a 12-month delay. We will work with the Government because of the importance of the issue, but we need to get beyond simply kicking the can down the road. Let us start the immediacies of working together. I am very proud to talk about this animal welfare Bill because it also gives me an opportunity to talk about my dog, who I have been dying to talk about in the Chamber for a very long time. My dog is called Ethel and she has no problems in life. She gets walked several times a day and she gets the comfiest bed. Sometimes she allows me to sit on the couch. This dog has no issues at all. However, about two and a half years ago, she got gastroenteritis. She ate something in the park, got an upset stomach and was brought to the vet. The vet up in Cabra treated her amazingly but gave her a little shot in the back with a little needle. Every day since that day, when she walks past that vet, her stride hurries, her tail goes between her legs and she starts to shake a little bit because that was a time in her life when she knew a little bit of pain. I think about that when I consider the context of this Bill to address female dogs being forced to breed constantly from the age of six months, which is incredible to think of. I think about the emotional pain as well as the physical, because these are emotional beings. They are emotionally intelligent. My dog knows when I am not having a good day, so she definitely knows when she is not. I think about the dogs who are in these kennels being forced to breed constantly, as if they are a factory churning out litters. The inhumanity of that is something that sticks with me when I think about the kindness of all of our pets and little animals. We should be rushing to remove that from ourselves. The length and breath of this country, one will find people whose pets are part of their family. The idea that Ireland remains the puppy farm capital of Europe is unconscionable to that little being that sits at our feet and shares our food and home. We need to act with as much pace as we can. Let us work collaboratively on this because it seems to contradict what we all know. Ireland cannot continue with these puppy farms. It cannot continue to have a greyhound industry, which, while a separate issue, is also seeing dogs destroyed constantly. We have to do better because these pets are little friends at home. We cannot continue to have another side industry in which exploitation, cruelty and harm are built in. I want to work with the Minister of State and I know Deputy Whitmore wants to work with him and the Minister, Deputy Heydon. Let us do that quickly.

I commend my colleague, Deputy Whitmore, on introducing this important Bill, which, if not obstructed, will greatly strengthen our dog breeding regulations. Unfortunately, it seems the Government is kicking the Bill into touch, which means it will be in limbo for 12 months at least. It is important to say that the Government is prone to frequent whinging that if only the Opposition could make constructive suggestions instead of complaining, it would happily work with us. This is patently shown up here, as with so many other Bills, for the disingenuous claptrap that it is. Currently, the welfare, breeding, sale, supply, control and traceability of dogs fall across multiple Departments, including the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht; Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; and Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This level of fragmentation ensures dog breeding remains essentially unregulated and wide open to abuse. It is estimated that around 100,000 puppies are bred in Ireland each year. Irish people love dogs and are willing to invest significant sums of money to welcome a puppy into their family. Unfortunately, this demand is very often exploited by some breeders who prioritise profits and care not a jot for animal welfare. Many puppies and their mothers are born into miserable, nightmarish environments where they may be kept in confined spaces with inadequate light, limited human contact and substandard care, including restricted access to food and water. Deputy Whitmore’s Bill represents a first step towards regulating breeding operations and providing protections for puppies and their mothers. The Bill proposes limits on the number of breeding females, the age at which dogs can breed, the age at which puppies may be separated from their mothers, the implementation of staffing ratios and a prohibition on surgical artificial insemination. I will focus briefly on surgical artificial insemination. This procedure carries welfare and ethical concerns, including risks associated with general anaesthesia and surgical complications. Non-surgical alternatives are widely used internationally and are not associated with many of these risks. The UK, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands have banned surgical insemination for welfare reasons and the Veterinary Council of Ireland’s code of professional conduct also discourages its use on ethical grounds. This is just one aspect of Deputy Whitmore’s Bill, but one that highlights the far-reaching favourable impact the legislation could have on dog welfare. The question that remains is why the Government is deferring this Bill for 12 months. I can so reason other than political pettiness.

I thank Deputy Whitmore and the Social Democrats for bringing forward this legislation. It is an appropriate time to introduce it given the work being done by the stakeholder group to look at all of these issues. The Government is talking about kicking the can down the road, as it does with so many of the Bills that come before the House. We all need to recognise that we have a difficulty in Ireland when it comes to puppy farming. That said, my understanding is that there is considered to be a market in Ireland for approximately 50,000 puppies per year, about half of which come from registered puppy farms. To be a breeder in Ireland, you have to have more than six bitches. An awful lot of the people who are providing or selling pups have one or two dogs. Usually, they love and care for their dogs very well, particularly in those small environments. However, that is not always the case. There are always dogs in those environments that are looked after very badly. I have some experience of this. We had dogs at home and I remember the pups coming. On one occasion, they were Irish wolfhounds. We are up at night watching the dogs and waiting for the pups to come. This went on for two nights in a row and when they were born, we had to get a box with a red lamp in it, similar to a small incubator, and put the pups into it to keep them warm. We had to get up every two or three hours and feed the pups because otherwise the bitch would lie over them and possibly kill them. We had to be there with them all the time. It is an intense thing to do. I cannot imagine how difficult that must be if someone has 30 bitches. Of course, that would not be happening to all of them at the same time, but it is a big operation in those circumstances. My understanding is that there are fewer than 20 breeders in Ireland who have more than 30 bitches. While the number is quite low, that does not mean these operations do not need to be regulated and intensively monitored. A limit is certainly needed but that needs to be worked out. The Bill refers to a figure of 30 and maybe there are arguments around that. We need to hear what those arguments are and see what the situation is. The number of pups going to the UK has been very large for the past ten to 15 years, although I think the figure has gone down somewhat in recent years. That is part of the work the stakeholder group needs to do. I know it is meeting and doing work on that. We need to get reports from the group and accurate data to know exactly what is happening, how it is happening and what is in place around the country. Of course, there are circumstances in which people are very careless in how they look after these animals and see them only as a means of making money. In my experience, the vast majority of people who breed dogs are not like that. They care and work with the dogs and follow up after they sell a pup, ringing the buyer a month later, six months later and a year later to ask how the dog is doing. They have an affinity with the dogs and look after them very well. That is reflected back, and we hear that from the vets, the people who know what is going on. In most cases, they are also the people who will sound the alarm and let the authorities know when there is a problem. In fairness, the local authorities and county vets in most areas are active. The county vet in my area is extremely active in ensuring that things are done properly and there is not the kind of abuse we have seen in the past and which is happening now to a limited extent. The proposals in the legislation are apt, particularly around insemination. There are issues there that clearly need to be dealt with. The Minister of State said he hopes to deal with this legislation within the year, if not sooner. The sooner the better because it needs to get absolute attention. Everyone, in every corner of these Houses, has an affinity with dogs. People love their dogs and have a great sense of companionship with them. We used to always say that no matter whether you came home in good humour, bad humour or whatever way you were, the dog would come to welcome you wagging its tail. They are always there to welcome people. That sense of affinity we have with these animals will, I feel, give us the strength, as a community and a nation, to ensure we have adequate legislation in place, including on following up. There is no point in having the legislation if we do not follow up and implement the regulations to ensure animals are treated properly. This has to be done with authenticity and must not be something that is swept under the carpet or hidden away. The number of bitches a person needs to have registered to be a breeder may need to come down. Numbers and limits need to be put in place with haste. I hope the Minister and Government come forward with measures very soon.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill. I thank Deputy Whitmore for putting it together and bringing it before the Dáil. At its core, the Bill seeks to close serious gaps in the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010, which is outdated legislation, and place welfare, not commercial-scale breeding, at the centre of how we regulate these establishments. For too long, the absence of a cap on the number of breeding females has created the conditions for large-scale puppy farms, where animals are treated as units on a conveyor belt rather than living beings with needs and instincts and the right to basic care and welfare. Sinn Féin has been very clear that the current regime is being abused, albeit by a minority of operators. Without a statutory limit, establishments can accumulate very large numbers of breeding bitches with no realistic capacity to provide proper welfare. A cap of 30 breeding bitches is necessary to end the worst excesses of intensive dog breeding operations. As has been noted, without proper regulation and staffing levels, no individual or small operator can manage the welfare of 30 females and their many pups, never mind the far higher numbers we know exist in some facilities around the State. This Bill both acknowledges that reality and seeks to remediate it. We also strongly support raising the breeding age. Allowing pups to be bred from six months old is entirely inappropriate. They should be left to mature. We want to see the minimum breeding age increased to 15 months. Furthermore, pups must be allowed to remain with their mothers for at least ten weeks. The current practice where pups are separated after only a few weeks in order to bring the bitch back into breeding condition is harmful to both mother and pup. A statutory ten-week mother and pup period is a basic welfare requirement and long overdue. The introduction of a staff-to-bitch ratio of 1:10 is also welcome and without that clear staffing requirement, welfare obligations cannot be enforced in any meaningful way. Proper oversight, staffing and inspection regimes are needed if we are to be in any way serious about ending cruelty and exploitation. I want to address the issue of surgical artificial insemination. The changes to the code of professional conduct for veterinary practitioners have already recognised the welfare concerns involved. However, the continued exemption for greyhounds is not justified. The same welfare standards should apply to all dogs and Sinn Féin believes the law must reflect that. We have seen it in the last Government, which was dubbed the kick-the-can-down-the-road Government, and it is unfortunate to see that, despite the new injection of Independent Deputies into the Government benches, this is continuing. We saw it with wind turbine regulations last week and we see it with this piece of legislation this week, where the can is kicked down the road. I understand the points the Minister of State outlined in his speech to allow that discursive element to take place but we need to grapple with this issue now. This Government is 11 months ar an bhfód and we need to get to grips with this. I ask the Minister of State to allow this to go ahead.

I am delighted to speak in support of this Bill on dog welfare. I am a proud mammy of two beautiful fur babies, Benji and Frankie Byrne, and I was half tempted to hold up their pictures here today and ask how anybody could be so cruel or neglectful to little creatures like that. The Long Title of the Bill reads: "An Act to provide for animal welfare considerations in the operation of dog breeding establishments, including but not limited to a cap on the number of breeding bitches, the age of bitches allowed to breed, the age of pups when removed from their mothers, a staff-to-bitch ratio, and to prohibit the use of surgical artificial insemination [That is, apart from greyhounds]. There is nothing that makes me cry quicker than to read about the poor treatment of dogs and the breeding of bitches and puppies on some of the so-called puppy farms this legislation seeks to address. Any true dog lover knows just how much attention a pup needs, never mind a litter of puppies or multiple litters. The fact that there are currently people out there keeping multiple mothers and litters in unsanitary and unsupervised premises in 2025 is just unbelievable. The Bill puts on a statutory basis the need for a staff-to-bitch ratio of 1:10. Personally, I think that should be lower but we are here to support this Bill. Sinn Féin recognises the change to the code of professional conduct for veterinary practitioners to prohibit veterinarians from carrying out surgical artificial insemination in dogs due to ethical and welfare considerations. However, this does not apply to greyhounds, and I and Sinn Féin believe it should also include greyhounds. Leave the pups with their mothers for the first ten weeks. Let them play and be fed, watered, nurtured and looked after properly until they can make someone the happiest person in the world when they are picked up and brought to what is hopefully their forever home. We need to close any sort of loophole that could be exploited with regard to animal care but we support the Bill.

I welcome this Bill being brought forward. It is actually quite common sense. It could have gone further but I respect that the Deputy is trying to make a really big first step, which is important. We are now being recognised as the European capital for breeding dogs and pups. There are a lot of things we want to be top of the list for in Europe but that is certainly not one we want to be seen as, especially when we are a people renowned for our history with dogs. I was listening to other people talk. The joke in our house is that I go home on a Thursday evening and when I go in the door at whatever time it is, 8 o'clock or 9 o'clock, our little dog Coco is waiting at the door for me shaking her tail off. My two daughters are shouting "Hi Dad" down the stairs and my wife Michelle is probably busy doing something. There is a special bond. I remember when we got Coco I was running in the by-election. I came home one night after canvassing and she was in the kitchen with my two daughters and my wife. Michelle said to me, "Sure you are out canvassing anyway and the girls will have Coco while you are out", and what could I say. I have had dogs all my life and so has my wife. A dog is like a family member. I know some people might condescendingly ask, "What do you mean by that?" but for anyone who has a dog, there is a special bond when you have a dog in your house. I know sometimes when my daughters are doing exams and when they are down, if the dog is upstairs, she is up in one of the bedrooms. There is a bit of comfort in having that companionship and only a dog can give it sometimes. I welcome this Bill. It is really important. Another point I want to make is around the housing crisis and the number of people getting evicted. People ask what that has got to do with dogs and breeding. A lot of people who go into emergency accommodation cannot take their dogs with them, so they either have to give their dogs to a family member or give them away. These are consequences of the housing crisis and homelessness. A lot of landlords now will not take dogs. I am not sure if it can be included in this Bill or in another piece of legislation but I believe people need rights to bring their pets with them, obviously in a controlled way. They should not be barred from renting accommodation because they have a pet or a dog. We want to see these proper regulations. We do not want to see some of the horrendous things that are happening with breeding at the moment. I live in Gurraunbraher now. I remember when growing up there were dogs everywhere. There would be dogs running loose all the time. People have evolved and there is a lot more respect for dogs among the vast majority of people but there is a small minority and they cannot be let get away with it.

I thank Deputy Whitmore for bringing this legislation forward. I heard her on the radio this morning. You could hear that she is coming from a really good place on this and the passion she has for it. It really comes across and the Deputy is pushing an open door with this legislation when it comes to me. We need regulation. In any industry, when there is no regulation, it can lead to a wild west situation where anything goes. This is particularly worrying when it comes to animal welfare. The legislation around current dog breeding practices is being abused. For example, as was mentioned, there is no cap on the number of breeding bitches that a breeding establishment can have. I really do not like using the term "bitch", so I will call them "mother dogs". For example, as the Deputy said this morning, you could have up to 300 mother dogs on one puppy farm. We have heard reports of how the mother dogs are being kept in cages. We have heard how they are being fed by automatic feeders. They are lying in their own excrement and they are not getting any socialisation whatsoever. Breeding practices within these puppy farms frequently lead to serious health issues for the puppies. These practices can lead to genetic disorders and infectious diseases and the lack of human interaction can result in significant behavioural issues. These inhumane conditions not only cause immense suffering for the dogs but also contribute to the broader issues of overpopulation and the abandonment of unhealthy or unmanageable dogs. More often than not, it is dog rescue organisations that have to pick up the pieces. New owners of puppy-farmed puppies and dogs can have a hard time when they bring their dog home, with illness or unwanted behaviours. It can lead to additional costs for the owner and also additional expenses in regard to veterinary care and the emotional turmoil of seeing a dog and puppy in distress and being unwell. Nobody wants to see this. Nobody wants to see an owner having to give up their dog. My partner has a beautiful whippet called Padmé. I will give her a second name like Deputy Byrne did. We will call her Padmé Murphy. She is a rescue dog - a beautiful dog who had a really difficult start in life. She is boisterous and energetic. She is full of energy and an absolutely beautiful character. She brings so much joy into our lives and as was mentioned before, the welcome you get from a dog when you walk in the door is second to none. I would love to see my children copy the dog and give the same welcome I get from Padmé when I come in. I would never stand up here and call Padmé a "bitch". My life would not be worth living. In fact, I just about get away with not calling her a baby. I hope I will get a few brownie points for bring her up here today as well. There are so many other dogs out there that do not get the same chance in life that Padmé has had, in being brought into a loving home. Despite some issues at the start of her life, she has a loving, warm home where is part of the family. It is horrific to think that there are businesses and puppy farms out there that are making huge amounts of profits on the back of overbreeding puppies and dogs. We need to put regulations in place to make sure this does not continue. I know the Minister of State mentioned kicking it down the road.

I will try to bring it back.

I have brought forward at least two pieces of legislation here this year and there have been timebound amendments to them, so we need to have a bit of urgency on this as well.

I am sure if I were to ask everyone in here to raise their hands, including the kids in the Gallery, if they do not like dogs, those who do so would be in the minority. Sadly, we lost our Cosmo, a 12-year old husky, five weeks ago. The house feels empty without her. When I get up in the morning or I walk into the house, I do not hear the patter of feet or hear her. We are a nation of dog lovers, but right under our nose we know that dogs are being mistreated, abused, used and discarded. Yesterday, we heard horrendous stories of female dogs arriving into the care of Dogs Trust expecting a fifth or sixth litter, although they were barely puppies themselves. I cannot believe that somebody would allow a six-month old dog to go through that. It is absolutely horrendous. They were left with multiple scars from C-sections and some were so ill-treated that they were matted with their own faeces and they had to be sedated to be groomed and to enable them to give birth. Let us imagine the trauma that would have on the mother and the pups inside her. We would be horrified to think of that happening to our own dogs. The Dog Breeding Establishments Act introduced in 2010 only makes it a legal requirement for any facility with six or more breeding dogs to be licensed through the local authority. There is no cap on the number of breeding dogs that a facility can have. That is just unbelievable. At the moment, legislation also states that the ratio of staff to dogs in kennels must be 1:25. That is one person for 25 adult dogs. If we multiply that by each dog having up to six puppies, that is 1:175, which is unimaginable. Dog rescue facilities must be properly funded and resourced to cater for and continue to do the amazing work they do for dog welfare and highlighting the responsibilities that come with being a dog owner. We must end the process of cruel breeding practices and so-called puppy farms. There must be an urgent review of the Dog Breeding Establishments Act and legislation and guidelines must be strengthened. The cruel practice of female dogs being reared as puppy machines is inhumane and must stop. We support the intention of the Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill. We believe that Deputy Whitmore's Bill will improve animal welfare standards for dogs and end some of the cruel practices that occur on these puppy farms. Dog welfare should also be looked at on a cross-Border basis. We need to bring the whole island into line with best practice for our dogs because we cannot have a situation on the island of Ireland where there is more than one set of legislation, as bad practices will just move to the other side of the Border. We must ensure that we work on a cross-Border basis so that all dog welfare legislation is co-ordinated.

Having listened to the stories of Deputies Gould, Donnelly and Ward and their dogs I am reminded of the phrase, if you want a friend in politics, get a dog. Ireland is in the midst of a dog welfare crisis. That is not a phrase that I use lightly. Today, more than 3,000 dogs are in pounds and rescue centres across the country. Every week we hear of rescue centres overwhelmed, a foster network stretched to its limit, and of families heartbroken after discovering the hidden cruelty behind their family puppy due to an industry that has gone unchecked for far too long. The facts speak for themselves. In 2022, more than 7,300 dogs entered Irish pounds, a staggering 77% increase from 2021. Despite the tireless work of staff and volunteers, 340 dogs were euthanised. It could have been prevented from ever reaching this point if our laws were fit for purpose. The shameful truth is that, as has been said, Ireland has become the puppy-farm capital of Europe. Up to 30,000 dogs are exported each year into illegal markets abroad. When we include unregistered backyard breeding, that figure may rise to 100,000 puppies bred in conditions that range from inadequate to outright cruel. I very much welcome Deputy Whitmore's Bill, which shines a light on what has effectively become a profit-driven model of exploitation rooted in animal cruelty. We are talking about an industry worth over €200 million, one that, in some of its worst forms, is built on practices of cruelty that border on outright criminality. Yet, it is our animal welfare charities, operating on shoestring budgets, that are left to pick up the pieces. They are the ones dealing with the endless stream of neglected, sick and traumatised dogs. Countless animals are suffering the consequences of poor and irresponsible breeding, and far too many are being euthanised as a result. In some of the large-scale breeding operations, there can be as many as 300 pregnant mothers at any one time. Females can be bred from as young as six months old and are forced to give birth again and again, with little regard for their health or well-being. The puppies themselves often come into the world deformed, sick, or burdened with long-term physical and behavioural issues. A puppy should be cared for, nurtured and held during the first crucial 12 weeks of life, not treated as a commodity to be produced for profit. This simply cannot continue. We need stronger oversight, higher standards and meaningful enforcement. I welcome the opportunity for us to debate the Bill today. I hope it proceeds to Committee Stage. I was not present for the earlier part of the debate but I note the ministerial amendment. It is time for the Bill to move to Committee Stage. We do not need to wait for a year down the line. As a result of weak regulation, harmful practices have been allowed to flourish. Under the current system puppies can be bred from females as young as four months old. Female dogs can be repeatedly bred, with almost no restrictions. Oversight is inconsistent, and enforcement is patchy at best. Backyard breeders continue to operate with virtually no accountability. Local authorities do their best with the resources they have, but they cannot enforce what is, in reality, an unenforceable system. There is no dedicated Garda unit for animal cruelty. Many cases only come to light when neighbours, for instance, become concerned, meaning countless animals suffer unseen, behind closed doors. Animal sanctuaries are at breaking point as unprecedented numbers of puppies, kittens and horses are abandoned and soaring costs and falling donations leave those charities struggling to cope. This situation is not sustainable. It is not humane, and it is not who we claim to be as a nation that values compassion, responsibility and community. This Bill should have a face and a name. At this point I would like to talk about a small pup that I have spoken about before in this Chamber. It is a pup called Stout from my constituency of Wexford, who has reached thousands of people because of an online campaign. Stout suffered from severe health difficulties caused by malnutrition, poor breeding practices and the appalling, unsanitary conditions in which he was kept. Despite every effort by the Wexford SPCA, Stout lost his life last August. However, because two people, Tara O'Connor and Kevin Keegan, refused to let Stout's suffering be in vain, his legacy lives on. They have led a compassionate and determined campaign, rallying animal lovers across the county, the country and beyond, and called for legislation that holds breeders accountable and centres animal welfare in every aspect of dog breeding. They have a campaign called Stout's law, which proposes that we finally recognise dogs not merely as personal property, but as living beings with intrinsic needs, with the right to comfort, proper care, and the ability to express normal behaviour. Deputy Whitmore's Bill offers a strong, structured and humane solution. I welcome this Bill in the Dáil today. My colleague, Deputy O'Donoghue, our spokesperson on agriculture, which animal welfare falls under, has also begun to process a Bill after hearing about Stout's law. He recommends a cap of 30 breeding females per site; minimum and maximum breeding ages; a limit of one litter per year and four in a lifetime; a staff-to-animal ratio of 10:1; a ban on surgical artificial insemination; and updated fees to reflect higher welfare standards. Additionally, the Bill includes criminal penalties for breaches - fines up to €250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years for serious offences. These are not unreasonable demands. They are the minimum standards required for ethical breeding. We are calling for Stout's law to be incorporated into Deputy Whitmore's Bill. This would strengthen the legislation by establishing stricter limits on age and the duration and conditions of breeding; limiting lifetime litters; creating an independent regulator with real enforcement powers; supporting local authorities in oversight; outlawing backyard puppy farms once and for all; and ensuring transparency and accountability at every step. Stout's law would ensure that welfare is not an afterthought but the foundation. It would ensure breeders have a legal, moral and enforceable duty to provide freedom from discomfort, distress and neglect, and freedom to behave as dogs are meant to behave. Rescue centres should not be forced to pick up the pieces of an industry that profits from suffering. They should not be dealing with litters born with degenerative conditions, malnourished mothers or traumatised animals that have known nothing but stress and confinement. We have a serious animal welfare problem in Ireland and we have a responsibility - morally, socially and legislatively - to confront it. By supporting this Bill and incorporating Stout's law within it, we can send a clear message: that Ireland no longer tolerates cruelty behind closed doors; that compassion must outweigh profit; and that the welfare of animals is a reflection on the values we hold as a society. Stout did not survive but his legacy can ensure that thousands of other dogs do. It is time now to reform our laws, to strengthen enforcement, to protect vulnerable animals and give Ireland a dog-breeding system we can be proud of. I urge everybody in this Chamber to support the Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2025 and formally incorporate Stout’s law into this legislation for Stout and for the countless dogs suffering and that will continue to suffer if we do not act upon this now. Before I close, I want to highlight one more emerging concern. I spoke recently with the DSPCA about the worrying rise in kitten farming and the growing demand for fashionable breeds fuelled by viral trends on social media in creating large profit-driven breeding operations where appearance is prioritised over animal welfare. I have seen this myself on countless occasions on social media. Kitten farming may be less widely recognised than puppy farming but the suffering it causes is every bit as real. We must also get ahead of this issue before it becomes another real problem. I earnestly request everyone to support Deputy Whitmore’s Bill.

It is really important that we be clear about the central question we are debating here and will vote on tonight. This is a law that seeks to reduce cruelty to dogs. It is important for the hundreds of thousands of dog owners and lovers in this country who know the innate sense of injustice and fury when they see or hear of a dog being mistreated. I have heard that sense from many of the Deputies who have contributed already today but it is important for those dog lovers to know that this Bill will be delayed tonight for 12 months. Law that would lessen cruelty to dogs in this country will be kicked down the road for a year. I want to thank Deputy Whitmore for bringing forward this important Bill and we in the Green Party will support it. Commercial-scale dog breeding is not something I will pretend to have any regard for even with regulation in place. It is an industry that prioritises profit over welfare where profit is the product of how efficiently and at how large a scale litters of puppies can be bred and born. That is why Deputy Whitmore’s Bill is so welcome. It seeks to amend a piece of legislation that was introduced by my former colleague, John Gormley, when he was Minister in 2010, which was the first measure to attempt to regulate the factory-like breeding of dogs in Ireland. At that time, that particular law was strongly supported by animal welfare groups and by veterinary campaigners. Fifteen years on from that law, the measures being proposed in the Bill today are absolutely necessary to ensure we have an effective, humane regulatory system in place where dog breeding is taking place. In particular, I welcome the proposed measures to regulate breeding practices that would address some of the physically extreme practices that can cause significant suffering for dogs, like a minimum age for breeding, like a maximum number of litters per year, like an annual breeding limit and a minimum age for separation. Perhaps most critically, it looks to outlaw the horrendous practice of surgical artificial insemination. I know this was something Deputy Quaide focused on in his contribution and it is an issue on which I have been raising parliamentary questions in recent months. Surgical artificial insemination is an issue that is long past time for action. The Veterinary Council of Ireland has already updated its code of practice to include a prohibition on canine surgical artificial insemination across all breeds, including greyhounds. It is banned in the UK and New Zealand. It is an absolutely unnecessary procedure that inflicts significant pain and creates a risk of infection to the dog to simply maximise litters and ultimately profit. It must be banned by statute and that ban must be enforced. Any breaches must carry strict penalties and that ban must include greyhounds as well. Of course, what has always been remarkable to me is that when it comes to legislating for animal welfare in Ireland, it is the people who are firmly on the side of change. People in Ireland are shocked to hear about some of the practices that take place on animals in our own country. It has always been my experience that the vast majority of Irish people, rural and urban alike, want a humane regulatory system in place that seeks to put the welfare of animals at its heart but every time it comes to actually making even a small change, the political fight is entrenched. It is vitriolic. Those proposing changes are attacked and it is escalated into some sort of perverse city versus country culture war. That is done as a very deliberate tactic. I remember in 2010 when the Green Party introduced the puppy farming regulation Bill and a ban on stag hunting, the money and effort that were put into AstroTurfing a lobby was absolutely incredible. People should be in no doubt about the difficulty with which legislating to improve the lot of animals is resisted politically in this country. Again, what always amazes me is that opposition to change is coming from tiny, unrepresentative interest groups. Although they are unrepresentative, they are able to generate such noise that the larger parties bend to their will every single time. It is essential that this Bill, or an identical version from the Government, be passed during the lifetime of this Dáil. I do not accept the justification for a 12-month delay, and I will oppose that delay tonight, but in 12 months' time when the Bill does advance, the Green Party and I look forward to supporting Deputy Whitmore in advancing it and seeing it passed.

I welcome and support this Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2025. I thank the Social Democrats for bringing this forward. We need to stop cruelty to dogs and there is no doubt that the area of dog welfare needs to be more formally regulated, especially in the area of dog breeding establishments like puppy farms. In August 2023, the then Department of Rural and Community Development released statistics that showed that 7,352 dogs entered Irish pounds. That was a massive 77% increase over 2021. Twice as many dogs were euthanised in 2022 over 2021. The Dogs Trust recorded the highest number of surrender requests - 3,968 - since it opened in 2009. The number of dogs rescued by the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals rose by 47% last year over 2022. Staffing, or more correctly the lack of staffing, is a significant issue in these establishments. Our poor, almost non-existent regulatory system has resulted in a €200 million industry and this country becoming the puppy farm capital of Europe, exporting a significant number of puppies to more regulated countries. Apart from welfare issues, other concerns include tax avoidance, environmental concerns, disease spread and fraudulent practices. The Bill is a reasonable, common sense and fair attempt to properly regulate these dog breeding establishments. An issue that does not appear to be covered in the Bill and is not implemented under current legislation is the whole area of enforcement. There is little point in having legislation and regulations if they are not being enforced. We recall the light-touch regulation in the building industry over the years. There is effectively no enforcement of current licensing or microchipping regulations. There is a complete under-resourcing in this area with little or no staff or infrastructure including pounds. This is resulting in a large-scale cohort of unlicensed and unmicrochipped dogs. These dogs often run in packs and are a danger to the public, especially children and the elderly. Of course, it also involves a lot of significant income to local authorities. Immediate and significant steps must be taken to address this issue and it is an area that should be included in this legislation as it proceeds through the Oireachtas. The current dog breeding situation is not humane. It is effectively cruelty behind closed doors. The Government's response to the Bill is to kick it down the road for at least another year and probably for an awful lot longer. This is not good enough. I ask the Minister of State to reconsider this unacceptable response.

We have a large majority of dog breeders who do their work well and do it right. They are legislated for and they have regular visits from vets and regular welfare visits and they do everything correctly. We have a minority who are not doing it right. Any minority that is not doing it right deserves the heavy hand of the law. The Bill needs to be right once and for all but the biggest issue with introducing any Bill in the House is enforcement. The last Bill on this matter brought to the House was in 2012 and it has never been enforced properly. The resources for enforcing animal welfare have never been provided. I come from an area of greyhound breeding, greyhound racing, horse racing and everything. I come from a family where my parents had respect and said dogs had to be walked and fed and that the welfare of the dog was to be looked after. I will stick with greyhounds. In the Banogue and Croom area, Moloney's have a place where dogs are brought after racing to be rehomed. It is an amazing place to visit where everything is done properly. Have I seen places where people are doing wrong? Yes, I have. Have I raised issues with this? Yes, I have. People treating the welfare of their animals correctly and looking after dogs as if they were one of their own also need to see an incentive for doing things right. The biggest issue I see with animal welfare is enforcement. Nobody wants to see an animal being mistreated. The biggest issue with welfare is to make sure all the laws are implemented and things are done properly for the welfare of the animal. This is what we need to do. The biggest thing is to give resources for enforcement. We can make all the laws in the world but if we do not enforce them, things do not happen.

I welcome the Bill from the Social Democrats. I support and welcome the Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill and I support its core objectives, which I believe are to regulate the industry, improve standards in the industry and enhance public safety. There are good breeders in the country doing good work. Equally, there are some horrendous practices happening in the country. Therefore, it is only right that we seek to introduce a minimum standard. The Bill is important in terms of introducing vital protections, limits to breeding frequency, which is very important, and minimum standards for the care of dogs. Preventing overbreeding, age limits for female dogs, a minimum age of pups for separation and staff ratios are all really important. The lack of regulation and enforcement in this area is causing major difficulty for shelters right across the country. There are over 7,000 dogs in shelters in Ireland. Many of them are pedigree dogs and many have come from the breeding sector. This is quite incredible. The number of dogs euthanised in the country is increasing, and it has increased by 10% over the past year. I thank the shelters throughout the country. In my constituency, Mayo SPCA in Ballyhaunis is run by Ms Marian Biesty, a wonderful woman, and a team of volunteers. They do tremendous work. I have visited it many times. Ms Biesty won Mayo person of the year recently and it was very well deserved. North West SPCA in Ballina is also doing great work, as is the Mayo dog pound in Castlebar. This Bill would relieve some of the challenges and pressures these dog shelters face. I urge the Minister of State to prioritise this and to work with those on this side of the House to make sure that minimum standards in the industry are addressed. I want to raise the issue of sheep worrying around the country, in particular on the sheep plains in south Mayo. Some of the best sheep farmers are in south Mayo and in parts of north Mayo also. They are being terrorised by groups of individuals coming onto their lands and sheep worrying. I attended a meeting recently where I spoke to a young farmer who lost half his pedigree stock overnight. Several were savaged by dogs and others were caught in ditches, drains and rivers on the farm. The Bill would assist with this. I am particularly keen to ensure we have a system whereby the microchipping of all of these dogs and enforcement happens. In Mayo, there are only three dog wardens. It is an enormous county. There are very many occasions at weekends and evenings when no dog warden is on duty. Then gardaí are called but are simply not equipped to deal with it. Gardaí do not even have scanners to scan these dogs. This is how poorly equipped we are in the country to deal with this. The Bill will assist with this but there are significant steps we need to take on sheep worrying, microchipping and ensuring gardaí have the ability to protect farmers.

I am a strong advocate for preserving Ireland's rural heritage. In the Dáil, I have spoken about the cultural importance of local greyhound racing and traditions that bring communities together. I have also called for the continued State support of €19 million annually for greyhound tracks to ensure these venues can survive and thrive. I believe in sustaining rural life, protecting jobs and celebrating the traditions that make our countryside unique. As we approach Christmas, it is important to remember that bringing a puppy into your home is a lifelong commitment and not a seasonal impulse. Leading organisations across Ireland have issued strong warnings about buying dogs from breeders during the festive period. The ISPCA has highlighted that puppy farmers exploit the Christmas rush, producing litters in poor conditions without proper care, vaccination or microchipping. They urge families to delay purchase until after the holidays and to consider adoption from registered rescues instead. The DSPCA, speaking on RTÉ, warned about heavily discounted puppies being sold for as little as €100. Many of these dogs lack vital vaccinations and are at risk of serious illness, such as parvovirus. Its advice is clear, and it is that if people do buy, they should have the puppy examined by a vet within 24 hours and check all health records. Aside from being our best friends, dogs are an integral part of many families, especially for those with autistic children or blind persons, yet families in Ireland hoping for an autism assistance dog face long waits. Leading providers, such as My Canine Companion and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, have closed their waiting lists until early 2026, reflecting huge demand. Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland recently reopened applications but the process from assessment to placement can take one to two years. These dogs transform lives, offering safety and independence, but planning ahead and engaging early is essential. Dog behaviourists remind us that Christmas is the worst time to get a puppy. The chaos of the season makes training and bonding difficult, and responsible breeders typically avoid selling at this time. This Christmas, let us put welfare first by avoiding impulse buys and steering clear of puppy farms. If someone is ready for a dog, they should choose a reputable source or give a rescue dog the gift of a loving home. We all know the saying that a puppy is for life, not just for Christmas. I pay tribute to people who look after dogs. In Church Cross in west Cork, the Collins family look after retired greyhounds. The incredible care they give to their dogs needs to be commended and I commend them. I have been there with them and I would nearly be encouraged to stay and sleep in one of the dog beds because it is such a beautiful layout. They give the dogs great attention and care. The dogs are well fed and have warm kennels. However, there is a huge issue of dogs killing sheep in rural Ireland, including in my constituency, and that needs to be addressed as well.

I am delighted to be able to speak today on a cause that is very close to my heart. My family and I have always had dogs. My current girl, Jenko, is a rescue, and I applaud all of those who work and volunteer in dog shelters and rescues for their commitment, passion and deep care. Most of those who provide day care, kennels and breed dogs have their dogs' welfare as their number one priority. Dogs are not only part of our families but they work with and alongside us, too. For example, I have worked with and supported Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind all my life. The partnership and bond between person and dog I have seen brings out the best in our humanity. Working with dogs makes us better people and there is no greater gift that a dog can give. Since being elected to this House a little over 12 months ago, and as a long-time advocate for dog welfare, I have raised numerous areas where reform is necessary. I have called for: a single, centralised dog microchipping register; a distinct tax code for dog breeders; regulation for online sales, and increased sanctions for dog breeding and welfare violations. This is not just a matter of dog health and welfare, but also consumer protection and public safety, as poorly bred and poorly socialised dogs are more likely to exhibit antisocial and aggressive behaviour. Fine Gael has always stood for strong animal welfare protections. Recent developments include how the State now funds over 100 animal welfare organisations, with funding increasing from €2 million in 2020 to over €6 million today. We have established a new and independently chaired advisory council on companion animal welfare and there have been improvements in dog control, with additional funding for dog wardens in all local authorities. In my constituency of Dublin Rathdown, we now have three dog wardens covering the area where previously there was just one. I know the Minister, Deputy Heydon, is fully committed to continuing improvements in this area, and I have been working with him to deliver progress. As we are all aware, planning for the updated animal welfare strategy 2026 to 2030 is under way. In support of this, I joined the Minister on November 19 to launch a six-week public consultation process. This will seek public views, which will inform the strategy. I encourage all of those listening to this debate to contribute to the consultation. Specifically on dog welfare control and breeding, the dog control and breeding stakeholder group, established by Fine Gael during the last Government, is expected to provide its final report and recommendations in early 2026. At EU level, the first ever EU-wide minimum standards to address puppy farms and illegal imports is near final agreement. We need to allow time for these processes, which are near completion, to be completed. Capturing the range of stakeholder, expert and wider public views with the new EU-wide minimum standards will form the basis for an updated animal welfare strategy, which will be published in 2026. Taking this time matters for improving the health and welfare of dogs. Taking this time will improve public safety and public confidence that dogs in our communities are well raised and cared for. This Bill today is actually premature, and really is just an example of where the Social Democrats are again exploiting a vulnerable group, in this case a group that cannot even speak for themselves, although my own dog, Jenko, is actually incredibly vocal and would probably have something to say on this.

Jesus.

She is talking so much rubbish.

I look forward to the outcomes of the process I have outlined and to working positively with the Minister to deliver positively for dogs, their families and our wider communities.

On behalf of the Minister for agriculture and the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, I thank Deputy Whitmore for bringing forward this Bill and for her many contributions in relation to it. The Department has committed to making a difference around dog control, breeding and welfare. The Minister also wishes to emphasise that this timed amendment, as put forward, is focused on providing sufficient time to allow for existing processes that have been in train for some time to come to fruition. This is also about ensuring that there is sufficient public, stakeholder and expert engagement in the area of dog control, breeding and welfare-enacting legislation prior to any legislative change. The Minister is looking forward to engaging proactively with all interested stakeholders and contributors such as the initiator of the Bill, Deputy Whitmore, on the output of the recommendations emanating from the process. The Minister is very happy to consider the need for legislative change in this space and engage proactively with all interested parties in the context of the completion of the evidence-based and stakeholder-driven processes that are in place to inform these considerations by the Minister and the Department. I know there has been a very significant and comprehensive debate this morning on an issue that is particularly important and for which the Deputy has been a long-time advocate. The Department and the Minister are committed to engaging further, with a view to implementing changes in due course.

I think the lack of seriousness of the Minister of State's response was incredible. I have to say it was quite shocking. He did not even take any significant amount of his allocated time for the response. I am a cat owner, not a dog owner, but I know that many of my fellow cat owners will be very supportive. I was sitting this morning with my cat, listening to Deputy Whitmore on "Morning Ireland", and the cat meowed at me. I think she meowed in approval, though I am not quite sure. I am here anyway supporting this and I want to congratulate Deputy Whitmore for the incredible work she has done and the leadership she has shown on this. Of course, dogs are central to our lives today. They also central to Irish mythology, our language and our history. There are some lovely seanfhocail, drawing on dogs, which give wisdom on life in general. One for example is, "Is dána gach madra in ndoras a thí féin", which means "every dog is daring on his own doorstep". Another one is, "Ag cur madraí i bhfuinneoga", which means "putting dogs in windows", which actually is a phrase to describe attempts to distract people. This is a good description of the Government and a lot of its housing policy. More broadly on this, I want to talk about the ongoing issues of animal cruelty that happen and which this Bill addresses. Dogs are part of our families. The idea that dogs and other animals are somehow separate from humans is something that a lot of people are trying to challenge. Many see this separation between us when there is none. They are part of us. We are all living beings on this planet together and of course we should be living together, but there is so much horrific cruelty. I want to flag the issue of housing and the situation whereby we are now seeing mass evictions. Many people are being forced out of their homes and are then having to get rid of their pets because they cannot be taken into emergency accommodation. On top of the trauma of losing their home, families and, in particular, children are going through the trauma of losing their pets because this Government has completely failed to ensure people have a home and to prevent them from being evicted. On top of that, we still have a disgraceful situation whereby most private rental accommodation does not allow people to have pets. Representatives from Dogs Trust say that one of the main reasons people contact them is because they have to move to a rental home where pets are not allowed. They have to go through the heartbreak of surrendering their family pets. As well as explaining to their children that they have to leave their home, they also have to explain why part of the family - the pets - cannot come with them. This month, I was in touch with a woman who was facing the direct trauma of homelessness. She had been trying day and night to find a home for herself but was not able to do so. They lost their home and they also lost their pets. This needs to be addressed too.

As a new TD, I find it deeply frustrating that Government Ministers say to us constantly that the Social Democrats have no solutions, policies or ideas and then, when we come to the Dáil with solutions, policies and ideas, they are dismissed and rejected. In his opening speech the Minister of State asked us to accept his bona fides about the 12-month delay. I would accept that if this did not happen every single time we put forward legislation. It happened the last time with our Bill to reduce the voting age to sixteen and it happened to our Bill in the Seanad. Time and again, the Government kicks the can down the road and dismisses our ideas. The Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, said we had a comprehensive debate. It is remarkable how few Members of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were here to discuss the Bill. One Member from each of those two parties showed up. It was not a comprehensive debate and there was not meaningful engagement with the Government. That is disappointing. These are important issues. We should be progressing this legislation, taking it to Committee Stage, going through the detail and passing it. The response from the Government is disappointing. I thank my colleague Deputy Whitmore for bringing forward the legislation and putting forward these proposals and ideas. I also thank Dog Law Ireland which worked with her on the Bill. In essence, the Bill would regulate breeding practices and outlaw harmful procedures that cause unnecessary suffering to dogs. At the moment, there are no protections for dogs in breeding establishments. We cannot let dogs throughout the country suffer because successive governments have failed to prioritise animal welfare. I strongly believe that improving animal welfare should have cross-party support in the House. Dog breeding in this country has been likened to the fast fashion market, with any breed of puppy readily available at the click of a button. Sadly, too many people remain unaware of the ethical concerns associated with this. Our poorly regulated framework has created a multimillion euro industry and resulted in Ireland becoming a huge exporter of puppies to more tightly regulated countries. It has also allowed incredibly harmful practices of surgical artificial insemination to remain legal. The current lack of regulation has created a system in which dog rescues simply cannot keep up with the pace at which dog breeders are breeding. Nor can they cope with ever-increasing surrender requests or dog abandonment rates. Right now in my city, the Cork Dog Action Welfare group has more than 100 dogs in foster homes and shelters. On the website of the Cork Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals today, one of the first dogs listed for adoption is Ila, who the CSPCA describes as having started life on a puppy farm but is now free from that fate. I commend those organisations and the volunteers who do fantastic work. I urge Members across the House to support this Bill. They should remember the dogs we have talked about today and put better regulations in place for them.

I thank everybody who contributed today. It is clear that this Bill is supported by most Members of the House. Most people can understand the need for it and the urgency with it. That is why, when the Minister of State spoke initially about a 12-month delay, I was concerned because that would mean that, over those 12 months, another 100,000 pups will be born in Ireland, many of them in horrific conditions. I understand the need to go through processes and I know a number of consultations are taking place. It is really important that the voices of dog rescues, vets and those involved in looking after dogs are heard. I understand the need for those processes but I want the timeframe to be expedited. I thank the Minister of State because I have just received notification from him that he is prepared to move to a nine-month timeframe, which would be sufficient to get through those consultations. I am really pleased with that and the Social Democrats will accept it. We want to work closely with the Government on this issue, which we are passionate about. It is important, on issues like this, that the Social Democrats work constructively with the Government. People want to see action on this issue, regardless of which party they support. Whether it is the Social Democrats, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or Independents or whoever else, it does not matter because people want to see this actioned. I thank the Minister of State for his confirmation that a nine-month timeframe will be set on the Bill and that he will work closely with me and my party. I have some other suggestions. I think it would be appropriate at this stage to see if additional funding can be provided for rescues that are dealing with what is a crisis at the moment and to examine the possibility of establishing a special committee to get this Bill across the line as soon as possible. I thank the Minister of State very much for the change and I look forward to working with him. I hope to hear from him, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and indeed the Department shortly about next steps on how we can progress this Bill.

We may need to suspend for five minutes while we get clarity because a new amendment would be required and we do not currently have one in front of us.

The delay would be for nine months.

The current amendment provides for 12 months. We will suspend briefly to get clarity and make sure the procedure is correct.

Is it agreed, by leave of the House, to amend the Government's amendment to substitute "nine months" for "12 months"? Agreed. In that case, I will now put the question on the amended amendment.