Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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582. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 370 of 28 May 2024, if his Department inspected a facility (details supplied) as a result of the recent information regarding the poor conditions in which dogs are being held there; his views on whether this situation is compatible with a group working as authorised officers on his Department's behalf; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29574/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the requirements of the Animal Welfare Grants programme, Department veterinary staff inspect all applicants on at least one occasion during the year. Any facility that does not meet expected standards will not be funded.

The facility mentioned was inspected on two occasions by Department inspectors in recent times. Any non-conformance issues identified at inspections are followed up by officials from my Department to check that they are closed out. Similarly, any reports of welfare issues received by my Department, including alleged breaches of the animal welfare legislation, are acted upon and investigated.

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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583. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if proposals to ban remotely controlled electronic shock collars on dogs will be referred to the high-level stakeholder group on dog control for consideration as part of a coherent policy response from Government on the matter of dog control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29582/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare, which I established under an independent chair, as part of my Department's wider animal welfare strategy, advises me on animal welfare matters and considered the question of whether the use of remotely controlled electronic shock collars on dogs and cats ought to be banned in Ireland. As part of this process, my Department held a public consultation, earlier this year, with the results available on gov.ie: . I have no plans to refer the matter to the group mentioned.

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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584. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if proposals to ban remotely controlled electronic shock collars on dogs will be subject to public consultation, or be referred to the relevant Oireachtas committee, in order to ensure full and inclusive engagement with relevant stakeholders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29583/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare, which I established under an independent chair, as part of my Department's wider animal welfare strategy, advises me on animal welfare matters and considered the question of whether the use of remotely controlled electronic shock collars on dogs and cats ought to be banned in Ireland.

As part of this process, my Department held a public consultation, earlier this year, with the results available here: .

Having evaluated and taken into consideration the responses to this consultation, I am moving forward to ban the use of these devices on animal welfare grounds. However, I am making provision for the phasing out of their use where they are currently in use with individually identifiable dogs.