Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 489 of 27 November 2012, the review procedures he intends to take to ensure that dog welfare standards being developed in the Animal Health and Welfare Bill will apply to dog pounds, rescue and dog transportation operators, as well as dog breeders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55397/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Animal Health and Welfare Bill which I am bringing forward consolidates a wide range of existing legislation. As such, it will apply in many situations affecting the welfare of animals and so can be enforced by a range of state bodies such as An Gardai, customs officers and local authorities. The Animal Health and Welfare Bill enshrines the so-called Five Freedoms of animal and, in doing so, sets out general horizontal rules on feed, shelter, healthcare and welfare that will apply to all animals.

The Animal Health and Welfare Bill does not set out detailed rules for individual species or sectors. These can be brought forward through a variety of means such as Codes of Practice, Regulations or other primary legislation, which can lay down more detailed laws for specific animals in certain cases, such as the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010, which was brought forward by the Minister for Environment, Heritage and local Government. That Act sets out detailed rules applying to premises at which bitches are kept, “not less than 6 of which are more than 6 months old, and capable of being used for breeding purposes”. The Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 empowers local authorities to appoint “authorised persons” for the enforcement of the requirements of that Act.

Separately, under EU Regulations in respect of animal transport, my Department has put in place guidelines for the welfare of non-farming animals (“other species”) during commercial transport.