783. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of prosecutions taken under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 since its commencement in March 2014 by year, in tabular form; the number of those prosecutions that proceeded summarily in the District Court and the number that proceeded on indictment; the number in each category that resulted in a conviction; and if the Mini…
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
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Showing questions asked by Ken O'Flynn under the heading Animal Welfare.
37 questions match, newest first.
784. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will review the maximum penalties provided for in section 52 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which have not been increased since the Act commenced; if consideration will be given to creating a specific aggravated offence of cruelty causing the death of or serious injury to a companion animal, carrying a higher…
786. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in respect of convictions for animal cruelty under section 12 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 since 2014, the number of custodial sentences, suspended sentences, fines and orders disqualifying a person from keeping animals that have been imposed by year, in tabular form; the longest custodial sentence imposed to date; and if he …
126. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to introducing a targeted financial support or grant to assist older people and pensioners living alone with the cost of adopting a rescue animal, in view of the rising number of dogs being euthanised in local authority pounds and the recognised health and companionship benefits for older people at risk of s…
128. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to providing dedicated funding or support, whether through his Department's annual animal welfare grant programme or otherwise, to sustain and expand existing schemes that waive adoption fees for older people adopting a rescue animal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67357/2…
130. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to introducing a targeted financial support or grant to assist older people and pensioners living alone with the cost of adopting a rescue animal, in view of the rising number of dogs being euthanised in local authority pounds and the recognised health and companionship benefits for older people at risk of s…
411. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of animal welfare complaints received by his Department, the number investigated, the number resulting in enforcement action, the number resulting in seizure of animals, and the number resulting in prosecution, by year from 2014 to 2025,; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33638/26]
412. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department maintains a central database of animal welfare complaints, inspections, enforcement actions, animal seizures, prosecutions and outcomes under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if he will outline the data fields recorded. [33639/26]
413. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether a formal memorandum of understanding, protocol, guidance document, or operational agreement exists between his Department, An Garda Síochána, Local Authorities, Customs, and animal welfare organisations in relation to suspected animal cruelty or neglect cases; and if he will publish or summarise same. [33640/26]
414. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the 226 successful prosecutions under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 since March 2014 are recorded by offence type, animal type, county, prosecuting authority, penalty imposed, and whether animals were seized; and if he will provide a breakdown. [33641/26]
415. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has assessed the adequacy of current enforcement resources for animal welfare investigations, including authorised officers, veterinary support, inspection capacity and legal follow-through; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33642/26]
416. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the new animal welfare strategy due in Q2 2026 will include measurable targets for complaint handling, investigation timelines, seizure action, prosecution rates, data publication, and inter-agency cooperation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33643/26]
699. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the governance and oversight arrangements in place between his Department, An Garda Síochána, and other relevant Departments in relation to the recording, monitoring, classification, and enforcement of alleged animal cruelty offences, and whether any single Department or body holds overall responsibility for ensuring consistency in how su…
700. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether the absence of centrally collated data on alleged animal cruelty offences is a matter of policy design, and whether any consideration has been given to introducing standardised national reporting mechanisms to support policy development in this area. [33288/26]
701. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he can confirm which single body or Department has overall policy responsibility for ensuring consistency in the recording, classification, and monitoring of alleged animal cruelty offences across the State, and if no single body holds such responsibility, whether Government considers this a governance gap in the current system; a…
813. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 474 of 12 February 2026, the number of investigations commenced in respect of the reported animal cruelty incidents recorded from Quarter 3 of 2024 to Quarter 4 of 2025; and for a breakdown of those incidents by status, including ongoing investigation, investigation concluded without prosecution, a…
814. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of files relating to alleged animal cruelty incidents recorded from Quarter 3 of 2024 to Quarter 4 of 2025 that have been submitted by An Garda Síochána to the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will provide the number submitted in each quarter concerned. [29818/26]
815. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to the confirmation that 23 proceedings by way of charge or summons had been initiated in association with the relevant incidents as of 10 March 2026; if he will provide a breakdown of those proceedings by offence type, quarter, and present status. [29819/26]
816. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of animal cruelty-related proceedings arising from incidents recorded since Quarter 3 of 2024 which have, to date, resulted in conviction, acquittal, dismissal, strike-out, withdrawal, or remain pending, in tabular form. [29820/26]
817. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for a breakdown of the animal cruelty incidents recorded from Quarter 3 of 2024 to Quarter 4 of 2025 under the ‘Cruelty/Neglect’ incident type on PULSE, by county, and Garda division. [29821/26]
818. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether consideration has been given to introducing enhanced data reporting requirements or statutory obligations to ensure consistent national recording and publication of animal cruelty enforcement data; and if so, the status of such considerations. [29831/26]
872. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the formal arrangements that exist between An Garda Síochána and other public authorities, including his Department and local authorities, in relation to the referral, joint handling, or escalation of suspected animal cruelty or neglect cases. [29827/26]
873. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the performance indicators, governance metrics, or oversight arrangements used by his Department to assess the effectiveness of the State’s response to alleged animal cruelty offences, including reporting rates, investigation progression, seizure action, prosecution rates, and case outcomes. [29828/26]
874. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any policy gaps, operational deficiencies, or data limitations have been identified by his Department or An Garda Síochána in relation to the recording and investigation of animal cruelty incidents; and if he will outline the steps being taken to address same. [29830/26]
875. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role external bodies or agencies play in supporting investigations into animal cruelty incidents, including veterinary services or animal welfare organisations; and whether formal protocols exist governing such engagement. [29832/26]