Mr. Paul Geraghty:

There are 50 full-time dog wardens in Ireland as per 2020 statistics, as well as 25 part-time dog wardens. We do not have any rule of thumb on the distribution of those wardens. Under the local government legislation, each chief executive of each local authority is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out functions in the local authority area, including the provision of dog warden services and inspections of dog-breeding establishments. The number is fairly static. In 2018 and 2019, the number was 49 and it was 50 in 2020. Those are full-time dog wardens.