Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I will ask about the areas over which the Department of Rural and Community Development has responsibility, including the Control of Dogs Act and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. Since the establishment of the Department, the number of enforcement actions has reduced drastically. In 2015, under the Department as it was then constituted, there were 4,849 on-the-spot fines. In 2020, the equivalent figure was approximately 1,000. Is there a particular reason, other than what I have cited, for the reduction? Those figures have reduced, year on year, since the new Department was established.