Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food further to Parliamentary Question No. 600 of 7 March 2006 her Department's role in the monitoring of so-called puppy farming; the role of her Department in animal welfare as it applies to dogs, including those dogs that are defined as companion animals and all other dogs if held for puppy-farming purposes or otherwise; if her Department has no role in this aspect of animal welfare the Department which is responsible for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12978/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of farmed animals. The legislation governing this is the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes Act 1984 and the European Community (Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes) Regulations 2000. In addition, there is specific legislation in relation to pigs, calves and laying hens.

The Protection of Animals Acts 1911 and 1965 are the principal statutes governing cruelty to animals in this country. Responsibility for pursuing complaints under that legislation rests with the Garda Síochána which, on receipt of such a complaint, has the statutory basis on which to investigate and initiate a prosecution against any person alleged to have committed an act of cruelty against an animal. Officers of my Department are regularly involved in assisting the gardaí in such cases with regard to breaches of farm animal welfare.

My Department does not have a role in the monitoring of puppy farms or for the welfare of dogs generally other than in relation to commercial transport which is covered by EU regulation on the transport of live animals and in relation to veterinary certification in the case of export of traded dogs. As mentioned in reply to Question No. 600 of 7 March 2006, a working group was appointed in September 2004 to review the management of dog breeding establishments. That working group was appointed by my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.