Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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337. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Government intends to provide increased funding for animal welfare groups to provide them with the resources to intervene and provide care in cases of animal cruelty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8700/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Animal welfare is a key priority for my Department and considerable funding is provided to support eligible animal welfare charities nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme, which is administered by my Department. Grants are to support operational activities of such registered animal welfare charities that meet certain criteria. In November 2024, my Department provided funding of almost €6 million to 101 animal welfare charities throughout the country. The figure awarded represents a very significant increase on previous years, greatly exceeding the Programme for Government commitment to double the €2.4 million of funding available to animal welfare charities from the 2020 budget.

It is anticipated that the 2025 Animal Welfare Grant Programme will launch shortly. The current Programme for Government provides a further commitment to increase funding. A decision on the level of funding provided for welfare organisations will be made later in the year.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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338. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to strengthen the enforcement of existing animal protection laws to ensure real consequences for perpetrators of animal cruelty in cases of neglect and abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8701/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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This Animal Health and Welfare Act 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 continues to enforce the law in this important area 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. 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.

My Department 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.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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339. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce stricter regulations on animal ownership, including mandatory microchipping and licensing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8702/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department is 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. This includes officers of my Department, An Garda Síochána, authorised officers appointed by local authorities, Customs agents and through service level agreements, authorised officers of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Rásaíocht Con Éireann.

In 2023, my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Rural and Community Development established the working group on dog control. The group produced a report which was approved by Cabinet and subsequently published. One of the key recommendations of the report is the implementation of a media campaign, in collaboration with stakeholders and the Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare to encourage responsible dog ownership.

As a result of coordination between the Department of Rural and Community Development and my Department, the responsible dog ownership leaflet was launched in 2023, which has been distributed widely and is available in electronic form online.

The Programme for Government provides a commitment to address the disjointed approach to dog control issues by ensuring all legislation and policy in relation to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments rests with my Department.

Initial discussions involving the relevant Government Departments, including my Department on the approach to implementation of the above have commenced. These discussions will continue and any necessary legislation to facilitate changes in my Departmental responsibilities will be advanced.

The issue of Dog Licences is a matter for Local Authorities.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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340. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish a Government-funded veterinary services and an education programme to promote responsible animal care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8703/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides funding to animal welfare charities throughout the country, many of which provide reduced cost veterinary care to animals. In November 2024, this funding amounted to almost €6 million and was awarded to 101 animal welfare bodies. An important element, taken into account when allocating these funds, is the critical role of education and dissemination of knowledge to improve animal welfare. Imparting knowledge on animal welfare plays a crucial role in improving standards nationally. For example, raising awareness on responsible pet ownership can help to prevent dogs subsequently being abandoned or surrendered to charities for rehoming, thus, helping to reduce the pressure dog shelters and charities may come under.

In November 2021, my Department established an Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare. with members having a diverse range of skill sets, so that it can advise on matters relating to companion animals.

In 2023, my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Rural and Community Development established the working group on dog control. The group produced a report which was approved by Cabinet and subsequently published. One of the key recommendations of the report is the implementation of a media campaign, in collaboration with stakeholders and the Advisory Council on Companion Animal Welfare to encourage responsible dog ownership and educating people on the many considerations in getting a dog, keeping and managing a dog appropriately and breeding healthy dogs.

As a result of coordination between the Department of Rural and Community Development and my Department, the responsible dog ownership leaflet was launched in 2023, which has been distributed widely and is available in electronic form online.

In addition, my Department and the Department for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science have committed to jointly in 2024 to meet the capital costs of establishing two new programmes of veterinary Medicine at Atlantic Technological University and South East Technological University. These two new veterinary schools will promote increased availability of veterinary practitioners to enhance animal welfare and optimise animal health.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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341. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline his engagement and that of his Department with An Garda Síochána in relation to animal cruelty in Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8704/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013, my Department has primary policy responsibility for the welfare of all animals. Since the introduction of the Act, over 1,000 Department officials have been designated as authorised officers under the Act and their responsibilities include the enforcement of animal welfare legislation provided for under the Act. A large number of these authorised officers are based in my Department's network of regional veterinary offices throughout the country including the Limerick Regional Veterinary Office.

An Garda Síochána are also authorised officers under the Act, as are specified officers of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Rásaíocht Con Éireann, the Irish Horse Racing Board and customs officials. Local Authorities also have the powers to appoint authorised officers under the Act.

A feature of the enforcement of the Act is that my officials from my Department can work alongside An Garda Síochána and the Local Authority on certain enforcement matters, resulting in a very effective and efficient use of resources.

My Department 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.