asked the Minister for Finance the number of dog licences issued for the last financial year and the income from them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dog Licences.
19.
The number of dog licences issued during the financial year ended 31st March, 1973, was 165,929 and the duty collected was £41,599.25.
May I ask the Minister if he has any information about the cost of collection?
I have not got it.
Would it be fair to say that the cost of collecting £41,000 by members of the Garda Síochána and the cost of maintaining records would probably be £10,000 to £15,000?
It might be unwise to make any estimate, but I might comment that the revenue aspect of dog licences is not the one that primarily concerns the State, but rather having a register of the ownership and location of dogs, which is a very serious matter, particularly in rural areas.