Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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157. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will consider reviewing the legislation surrounding dog licensing with a view to exempting assistance and disability dogs from the licence fee in order to assist with the provision of such a support, as is the case with guide dogs that are exempt from licensing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14349/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the Control of Dogs Act 1986, all dog owners are required to have a dog licence.

Regarding assistance dogs, and in particular dogs kept and wholly or mainly used for the purpose of guiding a blind person or a person whose eyesight is so defective that he/she is unable to find his/her way without guidance, the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 provide for licensing and muzzling exemptions in such cases. The Control of Dogs legislation does not extend to any other matters relating to assistance dogs.

I have no plans to amend the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010 in respect of this matter.