Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before we leave that question, if everyone is to buy into this, and as I said, I think it is the way for the industry to go, I would feel that it would have to be the Department that would inspect the countries being exported to. If we want the dog owners to be satisfied that they are getting fair play, from the witnesses's side, they should be happy that the Department would ensure the welfare of dogs and that it is paramount to it as well. If we are going to examine the criteria in a country to which the dogs are being exported, it should be the responsibility of the Department to do it. Dog owners might feel that the witnesses have standards that are too high whereas I feel there would be more confidence in everyone getting a level playing field if the Department had responsibility for it. If we are to get buy-in from everyone, which is essential in this going forward, the inspection criteria should be under the umbrella of the Department.