Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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335. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will strengthen the enforcement of existing animal protection laws to ensure real consequences for neglect and abuse; if he will introduce stricter regulations on animal ownership, including mandatory microchipping and licensing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8681/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides a modern framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare and replaced a number of enactments dating back over a century. The Act was passed, after a lengthy and constructive debate in both Houses of the Oireachtas and came into operation on 6th March 2014. The Act is kept under constant review.

My Department is also responsible for S.I. No 63/2015, the Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and S.I. 427/2015 - Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015. Under these Regulations, all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped. These regulations were made under the Animal Health & Welfare Act, 2013 and therefore can be enforced by any authorised officer under that Act.

My Department continues to enforce the Animal Health and Welfare Act along with An Garda Síochána, the Customs service, and authorised officers from the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Since the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 came into operation in March 2014, 181 individuals have been successfully prosecuted and fines in excess of €311,558 have been imposed. Thirty persons have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment which were suspended in twenty cases. One person was given 240 hours of community service in lieu of six months imprisonment and one person was given 100 hours of community service in lieu of three months imprisonment. The Probation Act was applied in eighteen instances.

To date 44 persons have been disqualified from keeping animals under section 58 of the Act. One person has been disqualified from owning equines for five years, six persons have been disqualified from owning a canine for five years and two individuals from owning an animal for life.

The issue of dog licences is currently a matter for local authorities. However the deputy will be aware that the new Programme for Government intends to address dog control issues by ensuring all legislation and policy in relation to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments rests with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Initial discussions have commenced and will continue over the coming weeks on the to implementation of this change.

My Department also operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation.

The dedicated e-mail address and helpline in place for reporting suspected cases of animal welfare are:

Helpline Phone No: 01 607 2379.

Email address - animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie.