Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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788. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of animals held in pounds at year end for each of the past five years per local authority area; the number of animals euthanised by pounds in each of the past five years per local authority area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17633/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government provides a commitment to ensure that all legislation and policy in relation to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments, will transfer to my Department. Discussions involving the relevant Government Departments, including my Department, on the approach to implementation of the above have commenced. These discussions will continue over the coming weeks and any necessary legislation to facilitate changes in Departmental responsibilities will be advanced.

The Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. Local Authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts including licensing and enforcement.

DRCD publishes annual statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities. Information up to and including 2023, including the numbers of on-the-spot fines issued, by county and in tabular form, is available on the dog control statistics page on www.gov.ie/en/collection/879d4c-dog-control-statistics/.

DRCD officials have requested 2024 statistics from all Local Authorities and once all returns are received, collated and analysed they will be published on gov.ie.

The last 5 years of available statistics can be found in the below table.