Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 Sep, 2022 to 31 Dec, 2022
Specific Details
Control of Dogs
Intended results
To highlight concerns in the rural community about livestock and sheep worrying by dogs which are not under proper control.
To obtain amendment to primary legislation and regulations relating to on the spot fines for dogs caught worrying sheep and livestock
To raise this issue with local authorities who are responsible for all operational activities, including enforcement of legislation.
1. Ideally a single National Database for all dogs corelating licensing and microchipping and identifying the person responsible for the dog but at a minimum alignment of the existing licensing and microchipping records to one central access point.
2. Full enforcement of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs.
3. Stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and Gardaí and clarity of these powers.
4. Increased on the spot fines for failing to comply with the microchipping and licensing requirements
5. Increased sanctions and on the spot fines for failing to have the dog under control.
6. Significant on the spot fines for dogs found worrying livestock
7. Legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped and licensed and identified on the NVPS (National Veterinary Prescribing System) prior to any veterinary treatment or prescribing of medicines by veterinary practitioners.
8. Authority to apply the legislative obligations to dogs in border regions owned by persons not resident in the state.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Tim Cullinan IFA President, Kevin Comiskey Sheep Committee Chair, Tomas Bourke Senior Policy Executive, James Walsh Policy Executive, Anna Daly Policy Executive
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Heather Humphreys
Minister (Department of Rural and Community Development)
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Colm Hayes
Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Bill Callanan
Chief Inspector (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Sinead McPhilips
Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Martin Blake
Chief Veterinary Officer (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Paul Dillon
Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Patrick Donohoe
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Declan O'Rourke
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)