Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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As for the 65%, one of the problems is that the Minister's response when we bring this up - and I have brought it up in the Seanad - is that the public need to do their homework and their research if they are going to buy a pup rather than going to a rescue. The problem, however, is that they cannot do their research because they do not know what a proper microchip number or a proper dog breeding establishment, DBE, number looks like. Even if they have the proper DBE number, they then have to try to find out information from the local authority, and not all the information is given. My argument, therefore, is that buyers cannot do their homework if the online platforms do not do their homework. In fairness to Dogs.ie, it is doing that in conjunction with Fido.

Other points have been made to us. This probably has to be brought in across the board for the four different databases. What information is contained on a Fido microchip? Would Fido have any objection to increasing the amount of information on the microchips, whether the colouring, sex or age of the dog or where the dog was bred, if that information is available?