Animal Welfare

974. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the recent death of a horse in a sulky race (details supplied); the current legal status of sulky racing in Ireland; if there are measures to better regulate this practice; his plans for better animal welfare regulations, particularly in the equine sports sector; and if he will make a statement …

982. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures currently in place to ensure equine welfare; if horses can be rehomed if seized by State agents; and the process by which horses are licenced under current legislation. [12861/26]

983. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied with current animal welfare legislation; if he has considered establishing a specific unit within his Department to combat animal abuse cruelty; and if he has considered reform of legislation relating to the protection of horses. [12862/26]

984. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his position on the regulation of urban horses; and if he has concerns over the abuse of horses in urban areas. [12863/26]

250. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport if he will engage with animal welfare organisations in relation to their specific concerns related to sulky racing on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11318/26]

251. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport his views on whether existing legislation is sufficient to address specific concerns related to sulky racing on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11319/26]

474. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of incidents reported to An Garda Síochána in each of the past five years concerning alleged animal cruelty offences; the number of investigations commenced; the number of animals seized; the number of files submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions. [11427/26]

486. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to an animal welfare case (details supplied); if he believes existing animal welfare legislation is sufficient to address cases like this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11313/26]

487. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with an animal welfare organisation (details supplied) in relation to specific incident that occurred in Dublin on 3 February 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11315/26]

488. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with animal welfare organisations in relation to their specific concerns related to sulky racing on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11317/26]

491. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections carried out by his Department in each of the past five years relating to equine welfare, including cases involving neglect, mistreatment, abandonment, or tethering; the number of horses seized, euthanised, or otherwise removed from owners following such inspections; the number of prosecutions …

492. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulatory and enforcement framework governing the breeding, keeping, and welfare of dogs used for hunting purposes; the number of inspections carried out by his Department or on its behalf in each of the past five years in respect of dog breeding establishments and private dog keepers; the number of enforcement ac…

493. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department maintains a central database or cross-agency mechanism to identify repeat offenders under animal welfare legislation; if not, whether consideration has been given to introducing such a system; and if he will make a statement on how repeat offenders are currently identified and restricted from con…

880. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections carried out by his Department, or on its behalf, relating specifically to the welfare of exotic animals kept as pets, including reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and non-domesticated mammals, in each of the years 2020 to 2025 inclusive; the number of non-compliances identified; the number of…

881. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department maintains disaggregated records relating specifically to inspections, seizures and enforcement actions involving exotic pets, distinct from other animal welfare cases; and if not, the reason such records are not maintained. [9497/26]

882. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out clearly which public body holds lead statutory responsibility for the routine inspection and enforcement of animal welfare standards in respect of exotic animals kept as pets in private ownership; and how responsibility is apportioned between his Department, local authorities, and any other State bodies. [94…

883. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has conducted or commissioned any formal risk assessments since 2015 relating to zoonotic disease, public health risk, or biosecurity threats arising from the private ownership of exotic pets; if so, to provide the dates, scope and issuing bodies of such assessments; and if not, the reason no suc…

884. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of veterinary inspectors employed by or available to his Department who have formal training or recognised expertise in the treatment and welfare of exotic species; and whether his Department has identified any gaps in national capacity to deal with the seizure, treatment or rehoming of exotic animals. [9500…

885. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of investigations carried out by his Department since 2020 into the sale or supply of exotic pets through online platforms; the number of breaches identified under the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Animals) Regulations 2019; and the enforcement actions taken in each year. [9501/26]

886. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he will initiate a specific, time-bound review of the regulation of exotic pets in Ireland, separate from the general Animal Welfare Strategy, including consideration of positive or prohibited species lists; and if so, the proposed commencement date and reporting timeline. [9502/26]

887. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made in addressing the issue of wandering, unchipped horses in urban settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9519/26]

888. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he and his Department have conducted to address animal welfare concerns on Irish pig farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9604/26]

901. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the recent animal cruelty reports due to illegal harness racing and sulky racing that is currently happening on Irish roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10441/26]

14. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the increase in funding for animal welfare groups as committed to in the programme for Government; if multi-annual funding can be considered to allow for longer-term planning by these groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6000/26]

18. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the Animal Welfare Strategy 2026 – 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5999/26]