Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I welcome this Bill, which is long overdue, although I also have a number of concerns about it. I support the increase in licence fees as long as they will be used by local authorities to improve the welfare of dogs.

I have read several horrific reports about puppy farms in this country and across the water. Dogs were kept in unspeakable conditions and subjected to absolute cruelty. I do not know how a human being could treat dogs in such a manner. It is sadism at its worst.

Dogs contribute greatly to a broad section of the community, not least as valued companions to the elderly, the handicapped, the blind and the isolated. They provide security by alerting their owners to intruders in the dead of night. I am proud to own two dogs, for which I purchased licences yesterday. I consider the fee of €12.40 to be minuscule. If we are to provide a proper dog welfare service, local authorities will need more money than that.

I am pleased that members of the ISPCA and dog wardens will have the back-up of local authority officers and the Garda. A member of my family who is involved with the ISPCA was threatened by certain people. Senator Coffey referred to powers of entry. I agree that privacy must be maintained but we must also consider animal welfare. The legislation must ensure those who are charged with the welfare of dogs can gain entry to premises when necessary. In the normal course of events privacy would have to be maintained.

Senator Coffey referred to the Hunting Association of Ireland. In a communication to my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform indicated that this association would be exempt under the requirements of the regulations. I hope this will be the case. The association runs a fine show and if it were otherwise, I would say so and would not apologise to anyone for so doing.

I refer to the Irish Coursing Club. I come from Killucan, a famous area for greyhound owners and breeders and coursing. Was there consultation with the club and the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation? From what I know of them, these associations run a very tight ship and their views would be valuable. I refer to a letter from the Irish Coursing Club which reads:

The ICC operates a register of all matings, litters born, adult greyhound names and transfer of ownerships.

4. All Stud Dogs and Brood Bitches are DNA profiled.

5. All greyhounds are tattooed earmarked for identification purposes.

6. All litters are inspected and tattoo marked by Control Stewards jointly appointed by the ICC & IGB.

I acknowledge the sincerity of the Minister and Members and welcome the comments of Senator Coffey that Fine Gael is broadly supportive of this very important Bill. However, we must be cognisant of all its terms. I am confident that the Minister will be open to reasoned argument pertaining to amendments and, if required, that he will bring forward Government amendments but I do not wish to pre-empt what he will do in this regard.

I acknowledge this country has been known as the puppy capital of Europe. Many of us will be aware that at least 1,000 puppies a week are exported from the Republic and that the North has proved to be a very lucrative entry point into the United Kingdom for traffickers from the Republic. This is not something of which we should be proud.

The legislation proposes that all dog breeding establishments be required to register with the relevant local authority, pay a registration fee and meet a minimum set of veterinary, welfare and other standards. A dog breeding establishment is defined in the Bill which provides that existing establishments can continue to operate for three months after the commencement of the Bill. The significant rise in the number of puppy farms in Ireland highlights just how lucrative a business it has become. In order for this legislation to be taken seriously, the fines must be imposed and collected, otherwise we will not do justice to the dogs who are dumb animals and cannot speak for themselves. As a result of submissions made to the Minister by the Hunting Association of Ireland and in recognition of the not for profit basis of its activities, an exemption has been granted in respect of the payment of its registration fees, as referred to by both Senator Coffey and me.

I welcome the increase in the cost of individual dog licences. I am astounded to hear that hard strapped local authorities incur costs of €5.7 million in the collection of dog licence fees but that they only receive a total of €2.8 million. Many local authorities, including Westmeath County Council and Athlone Town Council, could badly do with a portion of the shortfall moneys. This is not acceptable and I glad the matter has been addressed in the Bill. The increase in the licence fee will certainly help offset the cost to local authorities in providing dog control services and ensure puppy farmers will abide by the legislation.

It is welcome that the Bill has been introduced following significant consultations with interested parties. I urge that any interested party who has been overlooked be consulted prior to Committee Stage. Once the Bill has been passed into law, regulations will be introduced setting out the detailed criteria to be met by these establishments. Once again, the regulations will be subject to consultation with the various interest groups involved. I urge the Minister to consider recommendations made by any other interested individual or group. The Bill will complement the animal health and welfare Bill being prepared by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Brendan Smith.

I ask for the indulgence of the House to digress from the subject of the Bill to refer to the welfare of horses. The recession has led to an increase in the incidence of dumping of animals, particularly horses. According to officers of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, they are now picking up as many horses as dogs. Yesterday it was reported in the media that the ISPCA had been flooded with calls about abandoned and unwanted horses. The recession and the recent bad weather conditions have led to an unprecedented number of cases of abandonment. The number of calls relating to horses rose from a figure of 9% to 52% at the end of 2009. This is not a very pleasant statistic. The ISPCA equine rescue centre in my constituency of Longford-Westmeath is almost at capacity, with the problem sky-rocketing in recent months. We are facing a crisis of abandoned, starving and neglected animals, including horses, dogs and cats. When children ask for a dog or cat from Santa Claus at Christmastime, it should be borne in mind by the parents that they and the child must be in a position to appreciate their responsibility to look after a pet. If one cannot look after a dog, cat, horse or pony, one should not acquire it. It seems many animal lovers simply cannot afford to buy expensive feed for their animals.

The Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 is important legislation that will improve inspection, accountability and traceability in dog breeding. It is an important first step in bringing our laws on animal welfare into line with international standards. This is long awaited legislation but it is never too late to do the right thing. I am glad it has been welcomed by animal welfare groups and Members on the other side of the House. It is hoped it will put an end to the activities of backstreet dog breeders and will instead benefit commercial breeders who do a good job, treat their animals humanely and must be supported. This legislation must be considered as supporting those who take seriously the job of keeping, breeding and rearing animals.

The Bill provides the necessary powers for the relevant authorities - I am glad this means the local authorities - and agencies to take action allowing for entry and inspection of dog breeding establishments. Some years ago I spoke to a dog warden who had been threatened when he went to carry out his duties on behalf of the ISPCA. This is the type of entity with which one is dealing. The gloves will have to come off in dealing with them. The legislation is about the welfare of dogs. We are not concerned about the bulging purses of the backstreet breeders. We must remember that we are talking about a consumer-driven industry. We have seen increased demand for designer dogs in recent years. Given the constant reports in newspapers of animal neglect, we can no longer claim ignorance of inhumane puppy farms. The legislation will ensure each breeding establishment prominently displays its registration certificate. It is up to us as consumers to ensure we buy from a reputable, registered dog breeder. It is the very same as buying something off the side of the road that has had the registration number removed. One is supporting thieves when one buys dogs from illicit dog breeders in the back streets of our cities, towns and villages. 5 o'clock