Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 July 2024
518. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the promised additional dog wardens will be appointed in the major cities around the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28764/24]
View answerAll local authorities have a responsibility under the Control of Dogs Acts to employ at least one dog warden and provide a facility for stray dogs. It is a matter for each Local Authority to determine if additional dog wardens are required to meet their obligations under legislation.
Government established a working group in early 2023 to examine the current issues surrounding dog control and to make recommendations for improvements in the field. The report of the working group is available on Gov.ie. One of the recommendations of the report relates to the need for additional Dog Wardens. My Department is consulting with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Local Authorities on the implementation of this recommendation. I am pleased to advise that I have made significant progress in the implementation of the actions assigned to my Department in the working group report.
I recently increased ‘on-the-spot’ fines for offences under the Control of Dogs Act, including trebling the fines for most serious offences from €100 to €300. Multiple fines can be issued where more than one offence occurs.
In addition, I announced the establishment of a high level stakeholder group to consider and make recommendations to strengthen policy in relation these issues. I have appointed John Twomey as Chair of the stakeholder group, which comprises members with a broad range of expertise including academics, veterinary surgeons, local authorities, farming interests, charities working in the field and animal welfare experts.
My Department is also supporting a national training programme for dog wardens to ensure consistency and a standardised approach to enforcement. This training commenced in April.
I believe it is important for dog owners to be aware of their responsibilities - not just to the general public but also to their dogs. For this reason, I launched a major national awareness campaign to alert dog owners to their responsibilities and to raise awareness of the dangers that can be posed to people and to livestock by uncontrolled dogs.
Finally, in addition to these measures, I also announced the establishment of a €2 million fund under a new Dog Control Support Initiative. This funding comes as a direct response to increased pressures on dog control services and will make immediate and tangible improvements to the dog control service across the country.
I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues across Government to improve outcomes in relation to Dog Control in Ireland.
