In his capacity as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue visited the Glenasmole Valley in my constituency last year to highlight quite rightly the threat that out-of-control dogs can pose to livestock. While both of us recognise that the vast majority of dog owners in this country are very responsible and while welcoming the measures announced by the Minister today regarding possibly extending the list of restricted breeds, I also acknowledge there has been an increase in attacks by dogs on individuals both in Ireland and abroad. They seem to be increasing. While acknowledging and accepting what the Minister is doing, does he also accept that enforcement is what this is all about? The number of on-the-spot fines that people have to pay can be increased and the range of restricted breeds can be widened but if people continue to walk their dogs without muzzles that are meant to have muzzles or allow them off leashes in parks and on streets where they are meant to be on leashes and with muzzles, simply more enforcement is required. Does the Minister agree?

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I visited the Dublin Mountains with him and with the local Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, chairman Donie Anderson not so long ago and we discussed this issue. I know it is something on which the Deputy is a strong advocate. We have been working in government. Three Ministers have cross-departmental responsibility. Myself, the Minister of Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien, have put a work group together to try to address some of these issues. We are finalising legislation at the moment to improve enforcement. However, the Deputy is right; enforcement is a key part of it, and also respect. This means respect on the part of those who own dogs for other people and how their dogs interact with the environment, and also respect for the animals themselves and how we ensure the animals are cared for and properly looked after.