Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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1822. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps his Department are taking to establish a centralised microchip database accessible to authorised officers and welfare organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47180/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015 require that all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped and the microchip number must be registered to one of four approved databases. 

Animal Welfare Officers are authorised to obtain information from the approved databases in relation to individual microchips.  Interrogation of the database is targeted to establish the traceability of a dog that strays, to assist in the return to an owner if a dog is stolen and can also be carried out in the investigation of welfare cases.  

These requirements support responsible breeding and pet ownership as incidences of neglect, mis-treatment or irresponsible breeding practices can be linked to an accountable person through the registered identity of the dogs involved. 

My Department is currently considering how best to achieve centralised access to all dog microchip numbers.  A proposed regulation at EU level to improve the traceability of dogs and cats includes a proposal for each member state to establish a national microchip database for dogs and cats inter-operable with similar databases in other Member States.

A number of options are being examined with a view to selecting that which best improves dog welfare and public safety.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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1823. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has considered linking licences to microchip numbers to improve compliance and enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47181/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015 require that all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped and the microchip number must be registered to one of 4 approved databases. 

Animal Welfare Officers are authorised to obtain information from the approved databases in relation to individual microchips.  Interrogation of the database is targeted to establish the traceability of a dog that strays, to assist in the return to an owner if a dog is stolen and can also be carried out in the investigation of welfare cases.  These requirements support responsible breeding and pet ownership as incidences of neglect, mis-treatment or irresponsible breeding practices can be linked to an accountable person through the registered identity of the dogs involved. 

My Department is currently considering how best to achieve centralised access to all dog microchip numbers.  A proposed regulation at EU level to improve the traceability of dogs and cats includes a proposal for each member state to establish a national microchip database for dogs and cats inter-operable with similar databases in other Member States.  A number of options are being examined with a view to selecting that which best improves dog welfare and public safety.   

On 1 June 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG). It must be noted that local authorities retain responsibility for all operational, implementation and enforcement matters under the Acts.

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’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.

I expect the group to revert to me with recommendations on the matter in due course, and I look forward to receiving the recommendations of the group.