Animal Welfare

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015

Tuesday, 22 September 2015

Questions (1374, 1375, 1376, 1378)

Clare Daly

Question:

1374. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied with the decision taken by Clare County Council to remove control of Ennis dog pound from the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; if animal welfare considerations were taken fully into account as part of the decision-making process; and if he is satisfied that appropriate due diligence was performed by the council in its evaluation of the tender, submitted by a company (details supplied), that led to the decision to award the contract for running the pound to that company in July 2015. [31036/15]

Clare Daly

Question:

1375. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a company (details supplied) produced a tax clearance certificate for 2014 as part of the tender process for the dog pound in Ennis, County Clare. [31037/15]

Clare Daly

Question:

1376. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a company (details supplied) that was awarded the contract to run Ennis dog pound in July 2015, has any business connection, whether as parent company, subsidiary, or otherwise with any animal research and/or testing companies or facilities. [31038/15]

Clare Daly

Question:

1378. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he has taken to ensure that local authorities comply with their obligations under the Control of Dogs Act and award contracts for dog warden or dog shelter services to the ISPCA or other recognised animal welfares in order that the serious situations (details supplied) do not occur. [31273/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Alan Kelly)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1374 to 1376, inclusive, and 1378 together.

Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities have responsibility for operating and managing dog control and licensing services in their administrative areas, including the management of dog pounds or shelters. In this regard, section 15(2) of the 1986 Act empowers local authorities to enter into arrangements with any person for the provision and maintenance of dog pounds or shelters and for the exercise by any such persons of the functions of the local authority under the Act in respect of the acceptance, detention, disposal and destruction of stray or unwanted dogs.

Accordingly, the procurement of such arrangements by private providers, the evaluation of tenders submitted as part of the procurement process and the management and operation of such pounds or shelters by the successful tenderer are matters solely for the relevant local authority. Moreover, the enforcement of welfare standards regarding all animals, including the welfare of dogs in pounds or shelters, is a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, and one in which my Department has no direct role.