Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter yet again. I thank the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Finneran, for coming to the House to answer the matter. He has responsibility for housing. I do not know if that includes kennels.

Last weekend, a three year old child was attacked by a Japanese akita. I do not raise this issue in the light of that attack but it is pertinent to what I will say. I wish the child and her family well for her recovery.

Animal welfare legislation has been promised for some time and I believe there has been consultation on it. I am an animal lover and have always interacted well with various types of animals. There must be strenuous implications for owners who do not look after their animals or treat them well. There must also be an onus on owners to take responsibility for the actions of their pets. I hope the promised legislation will be balanced between protecting animals from abuse and ensuring they behave safely. I hope I do not seem to trivialise an important matter when I say the forthcoming legislation reminds me of the Children Act which obliges parents to be responsible for the actions of their children.

Another Japanese akita had to be put down following an attack on a teenager in County Down and a court ordered the destruction of a Japanese akita which had bitten two people in Strabane in 2008. An increasing number of people are acquiring dogs to stand out from the crowd. Do they know the background of these breeds and the danger they pose? The public must be informed about the characteristics of various breeds.

The public must also be made aware of the legislation and regulations relating to dog ownership. Legislation in the Republic of Ireland requires a Japanese akita to be kept on a short lead, muzzled and handled by a person over the age of 16. That is not the case in Northern Ireland. Legislation is being reviewed in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The same regulations should apply on both sides of the Border. In Border areas, people from one jurisdiction often take their dogs for walks in the other. For that reason, the same level of restraint should be required in both jurisdictions.

In Denmark, a parliamentary majority was secured last week for the introduction of stricter measures for the estimated 20,000 dangerous dogs in Denmark. In that country there is a move to ensure all dogs are kept on a leash in all public areas because an animal or human is attacked by a dog every two weeks in Denmark. In 2007, Waterford County Council estimated that there were 169 dangerous dogs in the county. There were two American pit bull terriers, two bulldogs, one bull mastiff, eight doberman pinschers, eight English bull terriers, 65 German shepherds, 11 Japanese akitas, three Rhodesian ridgebacks, 32 rottweilers and 37 Staffordshire bull terriers. This increase in unusual breeds makes it important that we are aware of the characteristics of each breed and how it needs to be handled. The County Waterford dog warden does considerable work in ensuring dogs are licensed and dog owners know how to look after them.

People have a right to own dogs but ownership brings responsibility. The same applies to ownership of all animals. I hope we will see animal welfare legislation very soon and that it will strike a balance between rights and responsibilities.