Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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116. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will provide an update on the work of the Stakeholder Group on Dog Control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25308/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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A high level stakeholder group was established in 2024 to consider 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 on a quarterly basis and the minutes from the previous meetings are published and available on my Department's website www.gov.ie/drcd at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development/publications/dog-control-stakeholder-group/

The stakeholder group’s 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.

Three sub-groups of the stakeholder group have been established to date to focus on specific areas relating to dog control and welfare. The sub-groups are focusing on Dog Breeding Establishments; Training and Education; and Traceability respectively. They have each met 3 times so far. The sub-groups will work with the main stakeholder group to recommend areas of improvement in the wider dog control and welfare environment.

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, including providing the secretariat for the stakeholder group, 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.