Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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250. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if consideration will be given to placing the dog breeding establishment guidelines on a statutory footing. [55730/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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On 1 August 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for Dog Breeding Establishments transferred to my Department. The Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 provides a robust regulatory framework for the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments. Local authorities retain responsibility for all operational, implementation and enforcement matters.

A high-level stakeholder group was established last year to consider policy and legislative matters, specifically the Dog Control Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. The stakeholder group’s remit includes considering the need for legislative change. I am committed to reviewing all legislation relating to dogs and in this regard will be guided by the recommendations of the Dog Control Stakeholder Group. I expect the group to revert to me with recommendations on the matter in due course.