Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I fully understand the concerns of the public about the problems highlighted in the media regarding a number of dog breeding establishments. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan has referred to some of those issues again tonight. That is why the Department, an expert group within the local authority veterinary services and other expert stakeholders have undertaken to engage in the ongoing review of the dog breeding establishment guidelines. They will take the time to address some of the issues the Deputy has raised as well. The suggestion to review the guidelines was made by an expert group within the local authority veterinary service and was accepted by the Department, with meetings hosted by the CCMA under the auspices of its dog working group. Officials from the Departments of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the local authority veterinary service, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and officials from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland all participated on a working group to draft the revision of the guidelines. The main stakeholders, Canine Breeders Ireland and the Hunting Association of Ireland, were consulted as part of that process.

More generally, the enforcement of welfare standards regarding all animals is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. As I informed the Deputy earlier, the guidelines will come before the Minister, Deputy Coveney, very shortly. There will be a chance to discuss the matter even further and to thrash out some of the issues the Deputy has raised. I will undertake to have that conversation with the Minister on the Deputy's behalf and to ensure all of these issues are addressed. We will publish the new guidelines in the near future.

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