I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 to 217, inclusive, together.
My Department has policy and legislative responsibility for matters related to dog control only, including, inter alia,
matters in relation to dog licensing, restricted dog breeds and local authority responsibilities, as set out in the Control of Dogs Acts and relevant Ministerial Regulations.
Regarding assistance dogs, and in particular dogs kept and wholly or mainly used for the purpose of guiding a blind person or a person whose eyesight is so defective that he is unable to find his way without guidance, the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 provide for licensing and muzzling exemptions in such cases. The Control of Dogs legislation does not extend to any other matters relating to assistance dogs, including for example the definition and classification of such dogs, training and accreditation or criteria in respect of the supply of assistance dogs by commercial operators. My Department has no direct role in such matters and, accordingly, I do not propose to introduce legislation in this regard.