Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kerrane and all the members of the committee for all their work. I also thank the Deputy for giving such a comprehensive overview of the report. She simplified it. It was great to hear that.

Given that I am here on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, I think that answers the first question set out by the committee. The Minister is on a trade mission in China, so I am here instead and I am delighted to be.

I start by acknowledging the value dogs bring to the homes and families of Ireland. They are more than pets. They are fantastic loyal companions and valuable friends to many people. The report on issues impacting dog welfare in Ireland, which was published by the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine in October 2022, is of particular interest to the House today given the recent tragedies relating to dog attacks. As we have sadly seen in the past few months, dog attacks can cause serious injury or even death and these attacks can affect people and animals. It is clear that work needs to be undertaken to strengthen the position relating to the control of dogs. The Government is aware of this and is taking proactive steps to address the issue.

The welfare of dogs is of increasing importance to us all. Animal welfare is a key priority for the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Government. Considerable funding is provided to support animal welfare charity organisations. In December 2022, the Minister announced the allocation under the animal welfare grant programme of a record amount of more than €5.8 million in funding to 99 animal welfare charities. This marks the largest award of grant funding to animal welfare bodies ever made by the Department. A common theme, including in the most recent year’s funding, is a recognition of the importance of education and dissemination of knowledge to improve animal welfare. Imparting knowledge on animal welfare plays a crucial role in improving standards nationally. For example, raising awareness on responsible pet ownership can help to prevent dogs subsequently being abandoned or surrendered to charities for re-homing, thus helping to reduce the pressure that dog shelters and charities come under. Unfortunately, dogs being abandoned or surrendered to charities is a trend we are seeing a lot of recently, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic.

In December, the Minister took a leading role in co-ordinating Government actions in this area, in particular by examining what measures are in place for the control of dogs, both nationally and at local authority level. In January, he established a working group on the control of dogs with the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, who holds responsibility for the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. Following a number of meetings, the working group submitted its report, which was brought to Cabinet by the Minister and approved by the Government on 28 March. The report, which contains a number of recommendations relating to matters discussed in the joint committee’s report, has been published on the Department’s website along with the minutes of the working group meetings. Work has now commenced on implementing the recommendations of the report. In implementing the report’s recommendations, it is proposed that draft legislation will be brought forward.

I recognise and pay tribute to the effort and thought the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine put into its report. The report considered a number of dog welfare issues and contains a number of recommendations in respect of legislation relating to dog ownership, welfare and breeding. The working group on the control of dogs took the report of the committee into consideration in its deliberations and the observations and recommendations in that report informed the working group’s report.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine continues to consider the report of the committee and its recommendations. In early 2022, the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Community and Rural Development launched a new awareness campaign highlighting the responsibilities of dog owners with respect to dog control and sheep worrying. Two years ago, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched Ireland’s first national animal welfare strategy 2021-2025, titled Working Together for Animal Welfare. This strategy takes a one-health, one-welfare approach, acknowledges and values the interconnections and inter-dependencies between human, animal and environmental health, and takes an evidence-led approach to policymaking, target-setting, monitoring and evaluation. The strategy sets out broad principles to improve animal welfare in the coming years. It sets out a framework for engagement and collaboration that will direct future activities benefiting both animals and society. The animal welfare strategy includes a commitment to establish an advisory council on companion animal welfare. This council has now been established and independent members with a range of expertise and experience have been appointed. The council is operational and several meetings took place last year and this year. It will advise on policy matters and, where appropriate, issue guidelines and recommendations on companion animals, including on some of the issues under discussion this evening.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has primary responsibility for the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 and data received on compliance are encouraging. According to the latest figures available, 124,408 dog microchips were registered during 2020. This represents a 24% increase on the total number of dog microchip registrations in 2019.

Regarding the safe sale and supply of dogs, the Department has introduced SI 681 of 2019 which requires anyone selling or supplying pets to keep records, including a record of from whom the pet was obtained and to whom the pet was sold or supplied. These regulations also prohibit the advertisement of a dog for sale or supply without providing minimum information about the seller, origin and age and microchip number of the dog. This applies to all forms of advertising.

Unfortunately, not all dog owners act responsibly. Some dogs are kept in conditions without adequate space or exercise. This can lead to problems with temperament. It can create a welfare problem for the dogs concerned and a risk to people and other animals if the poor treatment and management of these dogs lead to aggression. For this reason, one of the priorities for the Department in working with the advisory council on companion animal welfare is to develop and promote a responsible pet ownership campaign. Responsible pet ownership is about educating people on what they need to consider before deciding whether to get a dog; how to keep and manage a dog appropriately; breeding healthy dogs with the right characteristics and healthy conformations; and the responsibilities of dog owners towards others, especially with regard to issues such as aggression and sheep worrying. The Department has also been engaging with stakeholders and dog welfare charities on many of these issues, including those relating to the welfare of dogs.

Turning to some of the specific recommendations contained in the report, I will take this opportunity to provide an update on the actions under way which touch on these points. The ear cropping of dogs is a cruel practice which is prohibited under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. Following stakeholder feedback and informed by the observations in the committee’s report, the Minister proposes to introduce a statutory instrument soon, which will strengthen the law in this area and enable more effective action to prevent dogs being subjected to this cruel act. The committee’s report recommends a prohibition on the practice of surgical artificial insemination in dogs.

Taking account of the committee’s reflections on this subject and its recommendation, and considering the links between this practice, dog welfare and the control of dogs, the working group on control of dogs included in its own report a recommendation that this practice be banned. As the committee heard, the Veterinary Council of Ireland is also considering this issue.

The committee highlighted a number of areas where the current dog microchipping system could be more effective, with stakeholders describing particular gaps and issues. The working group has built on this recommendation and has included a number of specific recommendations to address these points. Work is under way to implement these recommendations, including updating the relevant regulations.

The committee considered the difficulties encountered when dogs are seized by authorised officers to rescue them from situations where their welfare is seriously compromised or threatened. These relate to the provisions of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 under which animals may be seized by authorised officers. These points were considered by the working group and it has brought forward recommendations relating to this issue.

On responsibility for dog legislation, the committee called for joined-up thinking on dog welfare. The working group on control of dogs is a tangible example of responding to this recommendation. It continues to meet regularly and provides a way for the various Departments and agencies to ensure a coherent, whole-of-government approach to dog issues, from policy through to implementation and enforcement. I re-emphasise that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine operates a confidential, dedicated animal welfare helpline, through which members of the public can report, by phone or by email, concerns about the welfare of any animal. The helpline can be contacted at 01 6072379, or by email at animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie. The Department received 1,251 animal welfare reports in 2022. Each report is followed up by a Department official or an Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISPCA, or Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, DSPCA, authorised officer. As can be seen, the Department operates a proactive approach to this issue, and we will continue to work to ensure we have the laws in place to encourage responsible dog ownership while also making sure the enforcement capacity is there in the system.

I acknowledge the value dogs bring to the homes and families of Ireland. We all know the importance of dogs in supporting those who may be visually impaired, children with additional needs such as autism, and even supporting people’s mental health and emotional well-being. As a family, we took ownership of our very first dog last year. It is the first time I ever had a dog in all my life. Our doggie, Ozzie, is now part of the family and we would not be without him. I thank the committee members very much for all the work they did.

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