Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

284. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of authorised officers employed specifically to investigate canine welfare and companion animals as opposed to agricultural livestock. [47446/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013, the Department has primary policy responsibility for the welfare of all animals, including  canines.

Since the introduction of the Act, 1,089 Department officials have been designated as authorised officers.  In addition to its own staff, the Department has a service level agreement with a number of organisations, enabling the appointment of authorised officers within these organisations and thus supporting further enforcement of the animal welfare legislation.  Currently there are 17 authorised officers appointed in such organisations that deal primarily with canine and companion animals.

I assure the Deputy that my policy and the policy of Government is clear and consistent: animal cruelty is totally unacceptable.   My Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect.  Reports of suspected neglect or abuse are followed up by Department veterinary staff in the Regional Veterinary Offices or in some cases they are referred to authorised officers in these other organisations, for investigation. 

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

285. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of successful prosecutions taken under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013; the year they were taken; and the county and the section of the Act under which the infringements were made, in tabular form. [47447/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides a modern framework for applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare and replaced a number of enactments dating back over a century. 

Prosecutions under the Act have been pursued following investigations by authorised officers of the Department, An Garda Síochána and authorised officers of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  These officers investigate matters relating to animal cruelty and neglect and, where the evidence supports such action, a file prepared and the matter pursued through the Courts. Matters tried on indictment are the remit of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the normal manner. 

The statistics set down below relate only to cases prosecuted at the suit of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and show the number of prosecutions by County and year. 

Since the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 came into operation in March 2014, 113 cases have been successfully prosecuted through the Courts by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. 

- Fines in excess of €92,000 have been imposed

- 13 persons have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment which were suspended in 11 cases

- 1 person was given 240 hours of community service in lieu of 6 months imprisonment

- The Probation Act was applied in 10 instances

- 22 persons have been disqualified from keeping animals

- In 40 cases summonses have issued or files have been sent with a view to initiating prosecution and a further 5 are currently being examined with a view to pursuing a prosecution if the evidence so warrants.

The major offences for which people have been convicted are Section 11 - duty to protect, Section 12 prohibition on animal cruelty, causing unnecessary suffering, Section 13 - failure to provide food or water.

Successful prosecutions by year and county