Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to thank the Deputies for raising this serious matter on the upcoming regulation on what are called the XL bully-type dogs, which I think are recognised in some countries as a breed, and in others may not be. That will come into effect on 1 October.

The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, announced a ban on the XL bully dogs in the interest of public safety and human safety following number of recent attacks. The XL bully was responsible for a number of attacks and killings in this country. If the Government does not take action now, the number of these dogs will grow. The fear, which I think is well founded, is that these attacks will become more frequent. It is the Government's strong view that Ireland should not be out of step with neighbouring jurisdictions in Northern Ireland and the UK on this matter.

The ban will be implemented in two stages. From 1 October, new regulations will prohibit the importing, breeding, selling and rehoming of XL bully-type dogs. From 1 February 2025 it will be illegal to own an XL bully without a certificate of exemption. The regulation will detail a system of certificates of exemption for owners of XL bully-type dogs who wish to keep their dogs. There will be a four-month period between 1 October 2024 and 31 January 2025 when these owners will be able to apply for a certificate of exemption in order to keep their XL bully-type dogs.

The application process for a certificate of exemption will be managed by local authorities. However, as previously announced in July, all owners of XL bully-type dogs will be required to license, microchip and neuter their dogs. Where a person does not hold a valid certificate of exemption after 1 February or have proof of an application for a certificate of exemption, the dog will be seized and thereafter may be euthanised by a veterinary officer on behalf of the local authority. The regulation will be enforced within the framework of the primary legislation, in this case, the Control of Dogs Act. In this context, the local authorities, through the dog warden service, will be responsible for enforcement.

Local authorities are also responsible for the recruitment of dog wardens, who are the authorised officers in the context of the Control of Dogs Act. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, together with Government colleagues, recently announced funding of €2 million for local authorities to support the resourcing of dog warden services from 2025. The funding recognises the increased demand in the area of dog control and the need to ensure resources on the ground have enforced the pending ban on the XL bully dog.

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