Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 May 2018
46. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when his Department will publish the new guidelines for dog breeding establishments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19073/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra55. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the measures his Department is considering as a result of the public consultation process that will tighten up enforcement of regulations and licence conditions for dog breeding. [19072/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 55 together.
My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. Under the Act, Guidelines are in place for Dog Breeding Establishments and these are currently being revised by my Department. A draft was published as part of a public consultation process which ended in February 2017. The Department has completed its review of the submissions received and a Consultation Summary report, which provides a summary of the submissions made and details on the next steps in the process, has been published on my Department's website at http://drcd.gov.ie/dog-control/.
The next step in this process will be to produce revised Dog Breeding Establishment Guidelines, taking account of, inter alia, the submissions received and broader issues relating to enforcement of regulations and licence conditions.
As part of this review process, I have asked my officials to consider whether further measures in addition to revised Guidelines are required in these areas. I expect to have revised Guidelines ready for my approval before the end of Q2 of this year, together with recommendations regarding any further measures.
Amendments to the relevant legislation, if necessary, will be progressed subsequently.
