Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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208. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the peer-reviewed research that highlights that it is impossible to accurately identify a dog's breed or mix of breed; his views on the research, based on international best practice, which recommends the introduction of restrictions based on a dog's behaviour rather than the current regulations; and the barriers that exist for the review of current regulations. [18998/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My attention has been drawn to an unedited manuscript entitled Human hospitalisations due to dog bites in Ireland (1998-2013): Implications for current breed specific legislationby Páraic Ó Súilleabháin which is stated to have been accepted for publication in the Veterinary Journal.

The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 require that dogs of certain breeds, and strains or crosses of those breeds, shall be securely muzzled and led by a sufficiently strong chain or leash, not exceeding two metres in length, by a person over the age of sixteen years who is capable of controlling the dog, when it is in a public place. These specific control requirements in relation to certain breeds were introduced as a balanced and workable arrangement which recognises the rights of dog owners, while also taking account of the needs of society to be protected from dogs with a significant capability to inflict very serious injury.

Consultations in relation to these regulations, including in relation to the breeds to be subject to the restrictions, were conducted with a number of animal welfare organisations, veterinary bodies and other stakeholders. Several jurisdictions have addressed the matter of restrictions of particular breeds of dogs in a similar way to Ireland, with England, Northern Ireland, France and New Zealand all having similar restrictions on specific breeds of dog.

I refer to the reply to Questions Nos 542, 543 and 559 of 6 May 2015 which sets out the position in relation to the onus on dog owners and those in control of dogs to act responsibly by keeping their dogs under effectual control, irrespective of breed, and in relation to review of the relevant legislation.