John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

After the Bill is enacted I am sure it will be appropriate in instances for members to raise issues such as this in a council chamber to state a person has been convicted of treating animals with a certain amount of cruelty and to express a view that the person will continue to act in this way. However, discretion is the order of the day. Putting it in cast-iron terms that under no circumstances can such a person continue with a business is an unnecessary restriction.

It is envisaged under the Bill that a local authority will work in co-operation with dog breeding establishments on an improvement model basis to ensure proper standards are maintained in dog breeding establishments. In keeping with this co-operative relationship it is considered more prudent to allow the local authorities discretion on whether to refuse registration on the grounds outlined in section 8(7). I do not propose to tie the hands of local authorities and therefore I cannot accept the amendments.