FF seeks amendments on Greens' puppy farm Bill

GREEN PARTY leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley will face calls for amendments to proposed legislation that would regulate so-called “puppy farms” from Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members tomorrow.

Following an invitation to discuss the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill, Mr Gormley is due to address the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting for the first time tomorrow evening.

A motion tabled by Carlow-Kilkenny TD Bobby Aylward will call for amendments to the Bill “where dog breeders will be severely affected by the financial and legal obligations as currently proposed”.

Mr Aylward said he was confident of support from a number of rural TDs and Senators. He said he agreed with the Bill in principle, and stressed measures to eradicate abuse of dogs were required, but added that he viewed other proposals as “very severe”.

He said he hoped Mr Gormley would look sympathetically on his request for amendments. “We’re in Government together and you have to get on, but it can’t be a case of the tail wagging the dog, if you’ll excuse the pun,” Mr Aylward said.

The Bill would give a legislative basis for the regulation of dog-breeding establishments. It would also provide for an increase in fees for dog licences, as well as some other amendments to the Control of Dogs Acts 1986-1992.

Bodies representing dog breeders, as well as hunting organisations, are understood to have lobbied Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members on the proposed legislation.

The breeders’ objections are understood to include the extent of the increase in dog licence fees and the levels of penalties that could be imposed for breaches of the proposed legislation, as well as the circumstances under which dogs would be microchipped.

Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators are expected to debate Mr Aylward’s motion for 20 minutes to half-an-hour before Mr Gormley attends the meeting tomorrow evening.

A spokesman for the Green Party in Government said Mr Gormley had already been “in dialogue” with Fianna Fáil representatives on the Bill, which he viewed as a very important piece of legislation.

“The Minister will meet them as colleagues and Government partners. He is very interested in hearing their views,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators are also expected to raise the issue of one-off rural housing at the meeting, which has traditionally been a point of difference with the Greens.

The plan to make stag hunting with hounds an offence is also likely to be criticised by some backbenchers, as are proposals for a carbon levy and local government reform.