Animal Welfare
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-14
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Naoise Ó Muirí (FG), Dublin Bay North

I thank the Minister for the update. Ireland is a nation of dog lovers and dogs hold a cherished place in our homes, well ahead of cats. However, it is clear we are playing catch-up on legislation on dog breeding. Dog breeding in Ireland is a growing industry. It is important to say that responsible small breeders do maintain very high standards, but as the sector is growing so too are animal welfare concerns. The Oireachtas agriculture committee heard last month that the number of dogs being put to sleep grew by 10% from 2023 to 2024. Even more alarmingly, this figure increased by 93% compared to 2022. This is a huge growth in the number of animals being put to sleep. The scale of abusive treatment is very concerning and we need to recognise it. This is a lucrative industry. We cannot leave it to look after itself, to self-regulate and to undertake its own enforcement. We have to get ahead of the issue.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:56+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-14