Press release
Ministers McConalogue and Humphreys meet over dog control
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, and Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, met yesterday (9 January) to discuss how their departments can address shared concerns regarding dog control and ownership.
Minister McConalogue and Minister Humphreys have agreed to establish a working group that will examine issues such as fines under the Control of Dogs Act, enforcement at local authority level, the provision of dog wardens, microchipping, promoting responsible dog ownership and licences.
The group will meet in the coming days and report to the two Ministers.
Minister McConalogue and Minister Humphreys also confirmed that they will consult and engage with relevant stakeholders to update them regularly on the progress of the group.
Welcoming the establishment of the working group, Minister McConalogue said:
“As two Ministers with primary responsibility in the area of dogs, Minister Humphreys and I held a very constructive meeting with a focus on working closely together in the time ahead.
“There is a clear commitment from both of us to tackle this issue and ensure that the law is as robust as possible to ensure that both people and animals are safe.
“Our dogs are more than pets, they are our companions and loyal friends. However, the harrowing scenes we have witnessed recently show the threat dogs can pose if they are not properly controlled by their owners. Both Minister Humphreys and I will work proactively on this in the time ahead.”
Speaking following yesterday’s meeting, Minister Humphreys said:
“Attacks by dogs can have a devastating impact on families, as we have seen during a number of deeply disturbing incidents in recent weeks.
“While the issue of dog control crosses a number of different government departments, as well as our local authorities, it is vital that we get to grips with this issue.
“That’s why, as a first step, Minister McConalogue and I have decided to set up a working group, which will consider all relevant legislative and enforcement issues in relation to dogs.
“This review will bring all the key players together to consider what action can be taken to keep both people and animals safe.”