Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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858. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development about the Government's timeline for transferring responsibilities related to dog control, welfare, and breeding to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and when the Department intends to propose new legislation to rectify the shortcomings in current dog welfare, breeding, and control regulations. [14209/25]

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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859. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the Government intends to transfer power regarding the control of dogs, dog welfare, and dog breeding to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and when the Department plans to introduce legislation to address the inadequacies of current dog welfare, breeding and control. [14208/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 858 and 859 together.

The Programme for Government sets out how the Government intends to provide for an enhanced approach to dog control issues. In this regard, all legislation and policy in relation to the Control of Dogs, Dog Welfare and Dog Breeding Establishments will rest with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Discussions are currently ongoing between my Department and that Department to implement this Transfer of Functions in a timely manner.

In the meantime, I am fully committed to progressing the work in this area.

With regard to new legislation, a high level stakeholder group was established in 2024 to consider the policy and legislative matters currently under the remit of my Department, specifically the Dog Control Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act.

The stakeholder group meets regularly and its remit includes considering the need for legislative change. This requires in depth analysis and consultation to ensure amendments are not just robust, fit for purpose and implementable but that they also deliver the best outcomes for communities and for dogs themselves. The work of the stakeholder group is complex in nature requiring full consideration of all aspects of the relevant legislation and this will take some time.