Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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627. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of prosecutions taken under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 since its implementation; the details of which organisation brought each prosecution; and for a breakdown of the sentences imposed. [56675/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department takes the matter of animal welfare most seriously and is committed to the enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013. Prosecutions under the Act are pursued following investigations by authorised officers who investigate matters relating to animal cruelty and neglect. Offences under the Act may be prosecuted in the District Court by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, local authorities and members of An Garda Síochána. Matters tried on indictment are the remit of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the normal manner.

Since the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 came into operation in March 2014, over 200 cases have been successfully prosecuted by my Department and the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (formerly ISPCA and DSPCA). Forty-nine cases resulted in a prison sentence of these 32 were suspended.

My Department does not hold records on prosecutions taken by An Garda Síochána and local authorities.

I am committed to the policy that animal welfare standards are vigorously applied in a fair and even-handed manner. All reports of alleged animal neglect or cruelty are investigated and appropriate action is taken. If members of the public are aware of any cases of suspected abuse or neglect, they can contact my Department's animal welfare helpline on:

Helpline Phone No: 01 607 2379

Email address - animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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628. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of prosecutions taken under the Ear-cropping of Dogs Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 412 of 2023) since it entered into force. [56676/25]

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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629. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any prosecutions have been taken under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 specifically for ear-cropping offences. [56677/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 628 and 629 together.

Under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, it is illegal to crop the ears of a puppy or dog of any age. Ear-cropping is a cruel and unnecessary mutilation, causing the dog pain and suffering at the time the ears are cropped, and can often lead to lifelong discomfort and recurrent infections.

Statutory Instrument 412 of 2023 Ear-cropping of Dogs Regulations 2023, further strengthened the restrictions in place on the practice of ear-cropping. The Regulation came into operation on 1st September 2023 and specifically restricts the possession or control of dogs with cropped ears, the sale or supply of dogs with cropped ears, the import of dogs with cropped ears and the possession, sale or supply of equipment used to crop the ears of dogs, and prohibits the showing of dogs with cropped ears.

To date, my Department has taken 11 prosecutions, under the suit of the Minister under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, for ear-cropping offences, resulting in fines of €6,900, four prison sentences of which two were suspended and bans from keeping animals. No cases have been taken to date under the Ear-cropping of Dogs Regulations.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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630. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is legal for a greyhound to be killed at a knackery; and if so, the legal basis for undertaking this practice. [56679/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The euthanasia of any animal is not permitted at a Department authorised knackery premises, accordingly, greyhounds may not be killed at knackeries, unless for immediate welfare concerns.

My Department would welcome and encourage individuals with any information around alleged euthanasia at knackeries to make this information available to my Department in the local Regional Veterinary Office. Enforcement procedures will be taken by my Department should any breach of a knackery premises approval be found.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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631. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the proposed statutory instrument to provide that euthanasia of a greyhound must only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon (details supplied). [56680/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

RCE, under its code of practice for the care and welfare of greyhounds, has set down standards to be applied to the euthanasia of greyhounds.

No statutory instrument relating to the euthanasia of greyhounds has been adopted by my Department.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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632. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an exhaustive list of those who have been appointed as ‘authorised officers’ under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. [56681/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013, my Department has primary policy responsibility for the welfare of all animals. Since the introduction of the Act, approximately 1,000 staff within my Department have been designated as authorised officers. A large number of these authorised officers are based in my Department’s network of Regional Veterinary Offices throughout the country, providing nationwide coverage. In addition, authorised officers have also been appointed in the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Rásaíocht Con Éireann and the Irish Horse Racing Board.

Members of An Garda Síochána and the Customs Service are directly authorised under the Act. Local authorities are also empowered to appoint authorised officers under the Act. Any queries regarding the number of authorised officers by these bodies should be referred to the relevant organisation directly.

A feature of the enforcement of the Act is my Department can work alongside An Garda Síochána and the Local Authority on certain enforcement matters, resulting in a very effective and efficient use of resources.

My Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation.

The dedicated e-mail address and helpline in place for reporting suspected cases of animal welfare are:

Helpline Phone No: 01 607 2379.

Email address - animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie.