Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations and all the work they are doing. It might be helpful if we could get some idea of the total number of dogs, ranging from assistance dogs to dogs for the blind. What kind of numbers are we talking about? If we wanted to meet all of the targets, what numbers would we need to train every year from now on in respect of dogs for the blind and assistance dogs for people with any kind of disability?

In respect of a change in legislation where recognition is given to dogs for the blind but not assistance dogs, it might be appropriate for the committee to write to the Department. I presume it is a matter for the Department of Health. Have the witnesses identified the legislation that needs to be amended? Is it a case of introducing an amended Bill or do we need to introduce a range of new legislation to deal with this issue. Do other issues need to be dealt with? Rather than doing it in a piecemeal way, do we need to do it in a comprehensive way?

When one looks at the progress that has been made by the different groups in Ireland, how far behind the UK are we? It is only in the past ten years that we have moved away from the belief that guide dogs are only for people with a visual impairment. We are moving into a range of other disabilities, which has only happened in the past ten years. We are still a bit behind the UK. Could the witnesses outline the new developments that occurred in the UK in this area? It would be helpful in terms of planning a programme in this country over the next five to ten years.