Mr. Tomás Bourke:

I welcome the Deputy's comments. This is where there is potential because the Department of agriculture is taking over control of this area. Within the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, effectively every power, clarity, sanction and qualification required is available if we attribute it to dogs in the same way as we do to livestock. If the same obligations, criteria and sanctions were applied to dog owners as they are to animal owners, we would have a lot more responsible ownership. There is the huge potential, without reinventing the wheel, to incorporate dog ownership and responsibilities of dog owners in the requirements of the Animal Health and Welfare Act.