Topics / Animal Welfare

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Animal 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
MonthQuestions
January 20251
February 20258
March 202515
April 202534
May 20254
June 20258
July 202512
August 20250
September 202518
October 202522
November 202535
December 20254
January 202612
February 202642
March 202617
April 202647
May 202641
June 202619
July 20267
August 20260
September 202613
October 202627

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.

  • Aontú2 from 2 TDs · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil54 from 14 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael86 from 12 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party3 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent17 from 6 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland37 from 1 TD · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party32 from 5 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity59 from 3 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin71 from 18 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 49
  2. 37
  3. 34
  4. 24
  5. 22
  6. 17
  7. 15
  8. 14

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Pat Buckley Written 21 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
644. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration has been given to implementing Lucy’s Law in the Republic of Ireland given that it is being implemented in Northern Ireland and in view of the fact the puppy trade is exacerbated given the Border (details supplied). [56729/25]
Mattie McGrath Written 21 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
658. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he is taking to deal with the ongoing issues with regard to illegal sulky racing causing danger to horses and road users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56989/25]
Robert O'Donoghue Written 21 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
670. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the urgent steps he is taking to ensure that only fully weaned weanlings are entered in marts (details suppled); if his Department has conducted an investigation into the level of sickness and mortality among exported weanlings; if so, if he will publish the findings; the measures that will be put in place immediately to prevent the…
Robert O'Donoghue Written 21 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
671. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the minimum export weight for calves remains 40 kg; if there has been any change in policy; if not, the reason calves were under the minimum weight permitted to be exported; if the calves actually loaded on the date stated (details supplied); if not, the reason an incorrect journey log approved by a Departmental vet; the reason a…
Robert O'Donoghue Oral 14 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
103. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the measures being taken to strengthen existing animal welfare laws and enforcement mechanisms; if his Department intends to engage with campaign representatives to progress the aims of Stout's law (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55118/25]
Pádraig O'Sullivan Written 14 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
119. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will consider designating authorised officer status to the inspectors an organisation (details supplied) given currently the organisation handles far higher equine volumes than any other organisation in Ireland and lack of authorised officer status creates delays in seizures, prevents lawful statutory evidence gat…
Pádraig O'Sullivan Written 14 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
133. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider increasing the allocation for an organisation (details supplied) under the animal welfare grant programme proportionate to the workload and costs the organisation incurs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54714/25]
Ruth Coppinger Written 14 Oct 2025 · to Housing
635. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will be allocating funding to Dublin Zoo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55296/25]
Alan Kelly Written 14 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
735. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he is taking to regulate sulky racing. [54898/25]
Pádraig O'Sullivan Written 7 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
485. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional funding will be made available in Budget 2026 for animal welfare charities given the very challenging circumstances at present and the unprecedented number of abandoned and surrendered animals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53174/25]
Malcolm Byrne Written 2 Oct 2025 · to Agriculture
384. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports which will continue to be made available to a facility (details supplied); the action being taken on a recent complaint by the facility against an inspection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52915/25]
Emer Currie Written 30 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
760. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the Government’s plans in relation to chicken welfare; if his Department has a specific roadmap for aligning with European Food Safety Agency’s proposed poultry welfare standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52122/25]
Robert O'Donoghue Written 24 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
143. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to publish the sanction letter and conditions attached to the €200,000 advance payment made to an organisation (details supplied) in August 2024, together with the balance paid in November 2024; the way in which his Department has verified compliance with those conditions; if there was a connection between this exceptional payment a…
Robert O'Donoghue Written 24 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
144. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied the advance funding in 2024 was used for agreed purposes and none of the advance funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in 2024 was applied towards legal settlements, redundancy payments, or merger costs without prior Departmental approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50627/25]
Peadar Tóibín Written 23 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
514. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the impending closure of an animal rehabilitation centre (details supplied); if his Department has plans for the building, stables and lands which was used by the centre given its importance to the local community as well as its regional work; and if he will work with the organisation to determine if funding will be fo…
Robert O'Donoghue Written 18 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
316. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the arrangements that are in place to ensure that regional ISPCA facilities, such as the Donegal Animal Rehabilitation Centre, are safeguarded under the new National SPCA structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49460/25]
Cormac Devlin Written 17 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
947. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expand the annual animal welfare grant to rehoming charities with a ring-fenced subhead for rescue adoption supports (neutering, microchipping, initial veterinary check); if he will develop a standardised rehoming certificate to support any Revenue-administered adoption credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. […
Paul Murphy Written 8 Sep 2025 · to Housing
1159. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has read a report (details supplied); his views on this report, and his views on whether elephants should be phased out of zoos. [45236/25]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 8 Sep 2025 · to Housing
1229. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a hare conservation status survey is underway in his Department, as required under the Habitats Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46071/25]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 8 Sep 2025 · to Housing
1230. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department will publish the 2024-2025 hare conservation status survey, as required under the Habitats Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46072/25]
Eoin Ó Broin Written 8 Sep 2025 · to Justice
1531. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the role and powers regarding horses of animal health and welfare liaison inspectors nominated in Garda divisions; if specific statistics are recorded for their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45298/25]
Eoin Ó Broin Written 8 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
1745. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions that will be taken to ensure enforcement of current legislation regarding the control and welfare of horses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45280/25]
Eoin Ó Broin Written 8 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
1746. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the considerations underway regarding an update to legislation on the control and welfare of horses, specifically regarding unnecessary suffering and endangerment to the welfare of horses; if enforceable sanctions will be a priority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45281/25]
Michael Lowry Written 8 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
1754. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to tackle the ongoing issue of illegal sulky racing on public roads, which presents a serious danger to road users and involves widespread mistreatment of horses and ponies; if the Minister is aware of recent documented incidents of such races, including one highlighted by an organisation (details supplied) whi…
Ruth Coppinger Written 8 Sep 2025 · to Agriculture
1775. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the possibility of outlawing the practice of sulky racing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46086/25]