Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her positive response to the Bill and her acknowledgement that it is part of the wider conversation. I absolutely agree with the Minister around XL Bully dogs. Those dogs are bred to be killers and to be dangerous. It is cruel for an animal to be bred and mutated - that is actually what it is - to be dangerous. While they can love you, they can kill you. A small Jack Russell certainly cannot do so to the same extent.

I want to issue a retort to Senator Flynn's comments. This is not about disadvantaging people. It is about supporting and loving dogs. A dog licence is €20 per year. If people really love their dog, they would be able to find that. I am sure, if someone was not able to afford the €20 and was on social welfare, the Minister's other Department, under which community welfare officers fall, that is, the Department for Social Protection, would be able to support that person in a way to be able to have responsible ownership and to abide by the law in order to support that person's mental health, socialisation and to be able to live in their home with their animal. One must abide by the law. Poverty or not, having €20 is not a way out or an excuse, but the State has supported people in doing things like that. It is absolutely not prejudice against people who are from a Traveller background. I take great insult to that because my Bill is pro-dog and pro-positive ownership and is about the safety of people.