John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

To address the existing market requirements and to enable a smooth transition to microchipping, I proposed in amendment No. 24 to extend the deadline for microchipping pups from eight to 12 weeks under section 15(2). This provision will apply for 12 months following commencement of the Act and that should allow sufficient time for all concerned to become acquainted with the requirements. Thereafter, under section 15(1), dogs will be microchipped at eight weeks old and before they leave the premises, which is important. Breeding establishments will at that stage have prepared themselves to meet the microchipping requirements and should not have any difficulty in moving to eight weeks. Section 15(3) will allow hunt clubs not to microchip but section 15(4) provides that clubs which do not microchip will be obliged to keep a register of dogs at the premises and make such records available to the local authority.