2619. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will instruct his Department to examine a case (details supplied) and ensure that conditions are at an acceptable standard. [58122/26]

My Department has lead policy responsibility within government for animal welfare and takes this matter most seriously. Neglect of or causing unnecessary suffering to animals is not acceptable in our society.

In order to bring a coherent approach to dog control, policy and legislative responsibility under both the Control of Dogs Act 1986 and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 transferred to my Department last year. In both cases, local authorities retain responsibility for all operational and enforcement matters.

Inspections of dog breeding establishments are carried out by my Department and by the Dog Warden service, acting on behalf of individual local authorities. All registered dog breeding establishments undergo an annual inspection. Additional inspections, which include unannounced inspections are carried out according to a risk assessment.

On 19th May 2026, I introduced draft legislation, the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2026 to cabinet to update the existing regulatory framework for dog breeding establishments in Ireland across three key areas - welfare and breeding, sales and record keeping, and administration and enforcement. The Bill was approved for priority drafting and will be referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine for pre-legislative scrutiny.

My Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation. The dedicated email address and helpline in place for reporting suspected cases of animal welfare are:

Helpline Phone No: 01 607 2379.

Email address - animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie

All reports of alleged animal neglect or cruelty, received by my Department, are investigated and appropriate action is taken. However, it is not the policy of my Department to comment on individual cases.