asked the Minister for Justice whether he can state the number of prosecutions undertaken for the offence of keeping an unlicensed dog in the Dublin Metropolitan area between January 1st and March 1st, 1926.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - PROSECUTIONS FOR UNLICENSED DOGS.
My Department is not now responsible for prosecutions with respect to unlicensed dogs. The effect of Section 39, sub-section (1) of the Finance Act, 1925, makes penalties for failure to licence dogs excise penalties, for the recovery of which proceedings can only be brought by the Revenue Commissioners or their officers. The Gárda Síochána, however, have been instructed to call on dog owners to produce their licences. A list will be compiled of those who fail to take out a licence and will be supplied to the Revenue Commissioners so that they may institute proceedings.
Can the Minister give any indication when it will be done? Is he aware that last year's legislation has been largely nugatory owing to the fact that no endeavour has been made to compel people to take out their licence on 1st January?
It is being done.
Can the Minister say when it will be completed?
Obviously it would be difficult to say when it will be completed, because it is a question of calling on the people who have dogs throughout the entire country to show their licences, but it is a procedure that is going on and will continue.