315. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to provide an authorised officer in County Clare for the purposes of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60535/25]
Topics / Animal Welfare
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsAnimal Welfare
386 questions from 67 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
386
questions
382 written, 4 oral
67
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
8
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 8 |
| March 2025 | 15 |
| April 2025 | 34 |
| May 2025 | 4 |
| June 2025 | 8 |
| July 2025 | 12 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 18 |
| October 2025 | 22 |
| November 2025 | 35 |
| December 2025 | 4 |
| January 2026 | 12 |
| February 2026 | 42 |
| March 2026 | 17 |
| April 2026 | 47 |
| May 2026 | 41 |
| June 2026 | 19 |
| July 2026 | 7 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 13 |
| October 2026 | 27 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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49
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37
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34
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24
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22
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17
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15
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14
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
332. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of calls received by his Department's confidential animal welfare helpline in each of the past five years; the number of these that resulted in investigations; and the outcome of those investigations. [60710/25]
333. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a county-by-county breakdown of animal welfare complaints received through his Department's confidential helpline in 2024 and to date in 2025. [60711/25]
334. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of prosecutions initiated following investigations into alleged animal cruelty or neglect reported to his Department's animal welfare helpline, in each of the past three years. [60712/25]
335. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average response time from receipt of an animal welfare complaint to commencement of investigation; and the average time taken to conclude such investigations. [60713/25]
336. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of animal welfare complaints received through his Department's helpline which were referred to other agencies, including An Garda Síochána or local authorities, in 2024 and to date in 2025. [60714/25]
337. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the procedures in place to ensure consistency and accountability in the handling and investigation of animal welfare complaints. [60715/25]
338. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if independent monitoring or auditing is undertaken in respect of his Departments handling of animal welfare complaints; and if so, to provide details of same. [60716/25]
339. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to establishing a national director of animal welfare to oversee animal welfare policy implementation, complaint handling, and inter-agency coordination. [60717/25]
340. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the resources allocated to the animal welfare helpline and investigation functions in 2024 and to date in 2025, including staff numbers and funding. [60719/25]
341. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the training provided to Departmental staff and authorised officers involved in investigating animal cruelty and neglect complaints. [60720/25]
342. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any trends have been identified in the nature or frequency of animal welfare complaints received through his Department's helpline; and if these findings inform policy or enforcement priorities. [60721/25]
343. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the nature of his Departments engagement with animal welfare organisations in relation to the receipt, referral, and investigation of complaints. [60722/25]
1425. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to ban the import of non-native honey bees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58368/25]
627. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of prosecutions taken under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 since its implementation; the details of which organisation brought each prosecution; and for a breakdown of the sentences imposed. [56675/25]
628. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of prosecutions taken under the Ear-cropping of Dogs Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 412 of 2023) since it entered into force. [56676/25]
629. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any prosecutions have been taken under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 specifically for ear-cropping offences. [56677/25]
630. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is legal for a greyhound to be killed at a knackery; and if so, the legal basis for undertaking this practice. [56679/25]
631. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the proposed statutory instrument to provide that euthanasia of a greyhound must only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon (details supplied). [56680/25]
632. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an exhaustive list of those who have been appointed as ‘authorised officers’ under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. [56681/25]
635. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 were not on the Summer Legislative Agenda despite previously being on the legislative agenda since Autumn 2020 (Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010) and Autumn 2023 (Control of Dogs Act 1986). [56720/25]
636. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the division of responsibility for dog control and dog breeding since legislative and policy control have moved to his Department. [56721/25]
637. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that legislative and policy control for the control of dogs has moved to his Department, who specifically will be responsible for deciding which dogs in local authority dog shelters will be euthanised; and if a standard national euthanasia policy will be implemented. [56722/25]
639. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific date when he expects the publication, and entry into force, of the regulations banning the use of dogs and cats electronic shock collars operated by hand-held remote controls. [56724/25]
643. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to preparing a "positive list" i.e. a list of species permitted to be kept as pets by private owners, particularly given the recent public outcry following footage of a zebra inside a pub in County Clare. [56728/25]