Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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229. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 1383 of 8 September 2022; his Department’s plans, if any, to improve the security of ports to ensure that dogs that have been stolen are stopped before they are exported from Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45947/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Revenue is the competent authority with responsibility for ensuring that imports and exports of all goods into the State are conducted in line with customs and other sectoral legislation. In this regard they act in an agency capacity to assist other State Agencies in the implementation of numerous pieces of sectoral legislation relating to the movement of live animals. This may include, at the request of a State Agency, risk profiling to identify suspect movements of live animals.

Additionally, I am advised by Revenue that if Customs Officers at Ports or Airports, as part of routine or intelligence led operations, detect dogs that have been stolen or where there is a concern that animals are suspected of being transported in contravention of the Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013, Customs Officers liaise with An Garda Síochána or the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as appropriate.