Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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712. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the dog control statistics for 2023 will be published by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41308/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. Local Authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts.

Each year my Department collects and collates statistics from Local Authorities in relation to a range of the dog control responsibilities of Local Authorities. These statistics include, but are not limited to, the number of dogs entering and exiting pounds; the number that are re-homed and reclaimed and the number that are euthanised.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Local Authority Control of Dogs Statistics Report for 2023 was published on 11th October 2024. Statistics relating to dog control since 2010, including the Report for 2023, are available on www.gov.ie/en/collection/879d4c-dog-control-statistics/

I very much appreciate all the work of Local Authorities in collating and making statistics available. These statistics form the evidence base needed for better policy making and I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with them in improving national policy.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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713. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when dog control statistics will be available; the reason for the delay in releasing the figures; if measures are in place to digitise the dog control system; to provide up-to-date statistics on a quarterly basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41396/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. Local Authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts.

Each year my Department collects and collates statistics from Local Authorities in relation to a range of the dog control responsibilities of Local Authorities. These statistics include, but are not limited to, the number of dogs entering and exiting pounds; the number that are re-homed and reclaimed and the number that are euthanised.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Local Authority Control of Dogs Statistics Report for 2023 was published on 11th October 2024. Statistics relating to dog control since 2010, including the Report for 2023, are available on www.gov.ie/en/collection/879d4c-dog-control-statistics/

I very much appreciate all the work of Local Authorities in collating and making statistics available. These statistics form the evidence base needed for better policy making and I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with them in improving national policy.

A number of factors have contributed to the slightly later publication of the Dog Control Statistics this year, including the concentration of my Department's resources on the development of proposals to ban the XL Bully type dogs, in the interest of public safety following a number of horrific attacks. The Control of Dogs (XL Bully) Regulations came into operation on 1st October 2024.

There are no immediate plans to digitise the dog control statistics or to change the reporting period. However, the Dog Control Stakeholder Group, which I established earlier this year, have been tasked with considering the policy and legislative matters under the remit of my Department, specifically the Dog Control Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act, and their work will include matters relating to data collection.