Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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151. To ask the Minister for Finance the actions that are taken by the Revenue Commissioners Customs Officers to ensure that dogs which have been stolen are not being exported abroad. [57058/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by Revenue that it works closely with other relevant authorities on the implementation of legislation relating to movements of live animals into and out of the State, focusing in particular on the movement of agricultural animals under customs control. However, 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 the animals may be in the process 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.

I am advised that Revenue made 24 detections in 2021 and 7 detections to date in 2022 of puppy movements that were referred to the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) in its role as a designated body under the 2013 Act, on welfare grounds.