Vol. 406 No. 3
210 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment whether he has satisfied himself with the adequacy of existing laws and enforcement mechanisms in regard to dogs which roam freely in city streets and soil footpaths and grass margins; whether he plans any reform of the law to put a greater onus on owners to prevent such soiling of pavements; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under the Control of Dogs Act, 1986, dogs are required to be licensed and to be kept under effectual control. The implementation of the Act is vested in local authorities who have power to appoint dog wardens, to provide shelters for stray and other dogs, to seize dogs, to impose on-the-spot fines and to take prosecutions. They also have power to make bye-laws requiring, inter alia, a person in charge of a dog to have the faeces removed immediately when the dog has fouled a public place.
While considerable progress in dog control has been achieved since the 1986 Act came into force, I continue to urge local authorities towards greater efforts. I take the view that further progress depends more on effective enforcement of existing law than in the enactment of new legislation.
