Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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272. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the revised guidelines for dog breeding establishments introduced under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010; the organisations on the working group established to develop the draft set of revised guidelines; and the consultation held with all stakeholders including animal welfare organisations with respect to these new guidelines. [3692/19]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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My Department published new Guidelines for dog breeding establishments in July 2018. The Guidelines came into effect on 1 January 2019.

The revised guidelines were developed in collaboration with the County and City Management Association (CCMA) Dogs Working Group.  The working group included representatives from the ISPCA, the DSPCA, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Agriculture Northern Ireland, Local Authority Veterinary Inspectors, and the then Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. 

The Guidelines were further progressed taking into account responses received through public consultation and by consulting with industry experts. The Guidelines are available on my Department's website at the following link . A Cover Note, outlining the next steps, was published alongside the revised Guidelines and is available at the following link.

I want to see high standards achieved by Dog Breeding Establishments in Ireland.  Having published the new Guidelines, my Department is now identifying any necessary legislative amendments that may be required to further improve standards.