Animal Welfare

2199. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an animal welfare officer will be appointed in County Mayo; when they will be appointed; and if one will not be appointed, the reasons for this; and the way in which Mayo is expected to manage concerns about animal welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24274/26]

2203. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has considered the establishment of a dedicated 24-hour animal welfare enforcement unit, including enhanced inspection and investigation capacity to address incidents of animal cruelty; the measures currently in place to detect and prosecute such offences; any plans to strengthen enforcement resou…

2207. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds that were prepared for homing under the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust homing programme (details supplied) for each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; the number of the dogs prepared under this programme in each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 that were subsequently home…

2208. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of non-coursing greyhounds on the waiting list for an Irish Retired Greyhound Trust kennel space as of 23 March 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24586/26]

2209. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount claimed in travelling expenses by operators of the seven foster centres funded by the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust for each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24587/26]

2254. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of recent footage circulating on social media which appears to show greyhounds being kept in conditions giving rise to serious animal welfare concerns at a premises (details supplied); whether his Department has initiated a formal investigation into this matter; the timeline for any such investiga…

2278. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he is taking to clamp down on equine cruelty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26057/26]

2279. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason no prosecutions were taken for equine cruelty in 2025 despite many horses being rescued from neglectful circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26058/26]

2280. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is supportive of the establishment of a pilot for an animal crime unit within An Garda Síochána, considering the high levels of incidents reported to animal welfare charities and the exceptionally low rate of prosecutions against animal cruelty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26059/26…

2283. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections carried out by his Department under the Control of Horses Act 1996 and associated regulations in each county, by month, in 2025 and to-date in 2026; and the outcome in each case, including the number reclaimed, rehomed or otherwise disposed, in tabular form. [26263/26]

2285. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of on-the-spot fines, fixed payment notices, or prosecutions initiated under the Control of Horses Act 1996 in 2025 and to-date in 2026, by county; and the number of successful prosecutions. [26265/26]

2286. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which horses seized under the Control of Horses Act 1996 in 2025 were found to be in poor or compromised welfare condition; and whether standardised welfare assessments are carried out in such cases. [26266/26]

2288. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the powers available to his officials and authorised officers under the Control of Horses Act 1996 to enter lands, inspect animals, and seize horses; and whether he is satisfied that these powers are being fully utilised. [26268/26]

2326. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider increasing the funding to animal welfare charities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27303/26]

390. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on measures to protect the welfare of urban horses, horses used in sulky racing or for drawing carriages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23329/26]

391. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the maximum number of non-coursing greyhounds contracted per day in the two care homes and seven foster centres funded by an organisation (details supplied) for each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and the first three months of 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23405/26]

392. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds passed through a care centre funded by an organisation (details supplied) for each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; the number of those dogs who were homed directly from this care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23406/26]

393. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds who passed through a care centre funded by an organisation (details supplied) for each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, and the number of those dogs who were homed directly from this care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23407/26]

394. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds who passed through the seven foster centres funded by an organisation (details supplied) for each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; the number of those dogs were homed directly from these foster centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23408/26]

753. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts being made to deal with the rising cases of animal cruelty; the number of cases that have been prosecuted on indictment of animal cruelty in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21526/26]

80. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the drafting of a new animal welfare strategy for 2026 to 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21353/26]

93. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any engagement he has had with an animal welfare charity (details supplied) in relation to preventing illegal sulky racing and the associated animal welfare concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19941/26]

98. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he is satisfied that current enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 is adequate in light of repeated reports of severe equine mistreatment, abandonment, and euthanasia following welfare failures; and the immediate steps his Department is taking to strengthen inspections, seizures, and prosecutions…

141. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he is planning to take to improve animal welfare in the country; to provide an update on the development of the Animal Welfare Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20543/26]

145. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he is taking to address animal welfare concerns with regards to illegal sulky racing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19940/26]