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

There are public safety issues here, and we need to be aligned with our nearest neighbours. We have little choice but to address this with regulation.

On the reasonable point that Deputy Hourigan raised, the Department of Rural and Community Development is in discussions with the Department of agriculture in relation to the proposed transfer of the local authority veterinary service to the Department of agriculture and the impact this will have. The Government continues to support the ongoing discussions that will take place in the dog control stakeholder group, which was established in March. The group, which was established to consider and make recommendations to strengthen policy in relation to all dog control issues, is independently chaired by retired Deputy Garda Commissioner John Twomey. Its members have a broad range of expertise, including local authority representation. This group has been tasked with considering the policy and legislative matters under the remit of Ministers and Departments, specifically the Control of Dogs Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishment Acts. The issues raised are wide-ranging and complex. They require in-depth analysis and consultation to ensure amendments are not just robust, fit for purpose and implementable, but also deliver the best outcomes for communities and for dogs themselves. As a dog lover, I agree with that.

The Department of Rural and Community Development will continue to work with the relevant stakeholders to balance everybody's rights - the animals’ rights and human rights - throughout 2024 and into 2025 to improve the dog control environment in Ireland. The bottom line is that the Government has a responsibility to protect the people, and these particular dogs have been shown to be seriously dangerous-----

See this speech in context