Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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835. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is concerned that since the licence fee for dogs licences increased from €12.70 to €20, more than 26,331 dogs disappeared from the system, representing a 12% drop in persons getting the licences; if he believes the hike in fee has stopped people registering their dogs; if discussions have been held to abolish the dog licence fee when compulsory microchipping is introduced to prevent double taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37344/13]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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871. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider abolishing the dog licence fee once the dog microchipping initiative is introduced; the discussions his Department have held with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37048/13]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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885. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his concerns in light of the increase in dog licences from €12.70 to €20, more than 26,331 dogs disappeared from the system, representing a 12% drop in persons getting the licences; if he believes the hike in fee has stopped persons registering their dogs; if he will provide a breakdown on a local authority by local authority basis on the number of dog licences issued for each year from 2007 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37343/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 835, 871 and 885 together.

The most recent increase in the charge for a dog licence took effect from 1 January 2012.  This was the first increase since 1998 and was in line with the increase in the consumer price index.

There is no clear evidence that the increase in the cost of a dog licence has led directly to a reduction in the number of dog licences issued, indeed a number of local authorities have increased the number of licences issued since the increase in fee. The Control of Dogs Acts 1986 and 1992 place statutory responsibility for dog control and licensing services on local authorities.  It is ultimately a matter for each local authority to ensure that the dog licensing regulations are being implemented in their areas.

My Department has had discussions with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding proposals for the microchipping of dogs under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013 and this engagement will continue. I understand that the proposals for the microchipping of dogs are primarily to cater for the welfare of dogs, both microchipping and dog licensing are important dog welfare and dog control measures and the existence of one does not negate the need for the other. Funds raised through dog licence fees are the primary source of funding for local authorities to enable them to undertake their responsibilities under the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 and 1992 and associated regulations.

Information on the number of dog licence issued by each local authority since 2002, as well as a broad range of other data concerning the dog control functions of local authorities, is available on my Department's website at