asked the Minister for Justice if he proposes to introduce legislation to control the conditions under which guard dogs may be used for the protection of property.
20.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Guard Dogs.
19.
asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of the allegation that over one hundred guard dogs are used to patrol premises in the Dublin area; that many such dogs are permitted to run free and are not fully trained; and if he will consider the introduction of legislation to license such security firms and their use of such animals.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together.
I am aware of reports of two recent incidents in England where children were attacked by dogs. I have also seen the newspaper report referred to in Deputy Desmond's question. What the substantive part of that newspaper report says is that most guard dogs are operated by security firms and have dog handlers at all times but that there are guard dogs—it does not say "many" guard dogs—that roam free in confined areas.
I have no information that would suggest that children or other innocent people are endangered in this country through the keeping of guard dogs for the protection of property. It is possible, though I have no information about it, that some guard dogs are kept in such circumstances as to be a danger to burglars or other criminallyminded persons. Even if it were probable that public opinion would support a change in the law designed to protect burglars against possible attack by a dog—and I am far from confident that it would—the framing of legislation would be difficult if it were to be kept within reasonable compass.
The question whether a dog is owned by a security firm seems to me to be irrelevant. Many people keep watchdogs and leave them loose about the house or enclosed garden in urban areas. In rural areas, farmers are likely to have one or more dogs loose about the dwellinghouse or farm and these dogs are not tied up when the owners go out somewhere. People living alone may well feel a need for the kind of dog that will not only give warning of but be able to protect them against any criminally-minded intruder. I would be very slow to say that they should not be entitled to keep such a dog as long as it is not allowed to roam in a public place to the danger of innocent people.
I think the Minister will appreciate that the question was prompted because of possible danger to children. Could the Minister state if firms and individuals who use these dogs are obliged to notify the Garda authorities?
Probably they are not legally obliged to do so but as a matter of prudence they should and I imagine that the more responsible ones do notify the Garda authorities.
Would not the Minister think that it would be the more irresponsible ones for whom we would be seeking to have regulations drawn up? In view of the tragic happenings in the London area in recent weeks, would not the Minister consider that we should introduce some regulations rather than wait until after there have been similar tragedies in this country?
As I explained in the reply, there are very definite difficulties associated with framing legislation of this nature particularly in a predominantly rural country such as ours where, normally, dogs are not tied up all the time. However, I have no reason to believe, at the moment at any rate, that guard dogs are let loose in such a way as could cause injury to innocent people.