Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

692. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an up-to-date account of the number of dog wardens employed by city and county councils, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61964/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department publishes annual statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities. Information up to and including 2021, by county and in tabular form, is available on the dog control statistics page on gov.ie. The 2022 dog control statistics will be collated in 2023 and when checked and verified will be published on gov.ie.

Page 1 of the 2021 dog control statistics indicates, by county and in tabular form, that there were 50 full-time dog wardens and 21 part-time dog wardens in 2021, equating to 59.55 full-time equivalent posts.

While Section 15(1) of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 states that every local authority must employ at least one dog warden, it is a matter for each local authority to determine if more than one dog warden is required to carry out the necessary functions of the dog warden service in their local authority area.