Shout-out to Ethel Gannon, Benjy and Frankie Byrne, Coco Gould, Padmé Murphy, Jenko O’Connell, the recently departed Cosmo Donnelly and the little pup Stout.
When the Dáil tackles issues to do with the welfare of dogs, TDs cannot resist namechecking their beloved canine companions.
And respect also to Echo Hearne, although she is a cat.
During yesterday’s debate on the Social Democrats Dog Welfare (Amendment) Bill, a number of speakers spoke dreamily about the way their waggy pals always give them a terrific welcome when they return home – no matter what time of the day or night, or what sort of humour they might be in.
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Dáil deputies make their love for dogs (and cats) known in emotional animal welfare debate
Deputies love dogs.
It must be such a treat for politicians to know they can darken at least one doorstep in the knowledge that they won’t be ballyragged and lambasted by the occupant beyond it.
Labour’s George Lawlor recalled the old phrase: “If you want a friend in politics, get a dog.”
The Bill is the work of Jennifer Whitmore, the Social Democrats TD for Wicklow. It aims to strengthen the 15-year-old Dog Breeding Establishments Act by properly regulating so-called puppy farms and placing the welfare of dogs and pups before the profits of cruel and unscrupulous breeders.
“These terrified mother dogs are breeding absolutely terrified pups,” she said, adding that people would be disgusted if they knew their adorable pup “came from a nightmare situation that the pup’s mother is probably still living through”.
Maybe. Or maybe not.
In a 90-minute debate, speakers outlined the horrific circumstances endured by breeding females incarcerated in appalling conditions and forced to pump out cute, fashionable puppies that are sold here for huge sums or shipped to buyers around the world.
The spike in sales for Christmas puppies loomed over this debate.
As did the work awaiting the dog rescue organisations when these unsocialised, often sick puppies are given up or, even worse, dumped.
Speakers such as Independent Ireland’s Michael Collins asked people to reconsider buying a dog for Christmas.
Good luck with that.
“This is a modest Bill. We are not coming into this chamber saying every single puppy farm in the country should be shut down,” Deputy Whitmore told the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Noel Grealish, who was standing in for his senior Minister, Martin Heydon.
As Noel read from a jargon-laden speech, it was as if Martin Himself was in the Dáil chamber.
“The Minister asked me to say . . . the Minister asked me to highlight . . . the Minister asked me to convey . . .”
To be fair to both of them, there was no Government opposition to Jennifer’s proposals.
Noel reported: “The Minister has indicated he is very happy to consider the need for legislative change in this space and will engage proactively with all interested parties in doing so.”
However, the Government wanted to amend the Bill, delaying its passage for a year.
This did not go down well with the Opposition.
He said the delay was to facilitate an ongoing public consultation process that will “inform consideration” of the department’s animal welfare strategy for 2026 to 2030.
Well, 2026 is in three weeks’ time.
Secondly, the report of the “high-level dog control stakeholder group” set up in 2024 is “anticipated” in the first quarter of next year.
“The Minister” is awaiting its deliberations, report and recommendations.
Noel stressed that the Bill has a lot of support from his side of the House.
“I am an avid dog lover myself. I take in rescue dogs. In the little area where I live, there are more dogs than people.”
Sinead Gibney (Soc Dems) pointed out that the existing legislation is facilitating instead of regulating commercial dog breeding, “and now Ireland has become the world’s supplier of designer puppies – cavapoos, pomskies, cockapoos; cute names masking ugly realities”.
Her colleague Gary Gannon was first to get his dog’s name into the Dáil record.
He hoped the Government will collaborate with the Opposition and work as fast as it can to get the legislation moving as quickly as possible.
“I’m very proud today to talk about this animal welfare Bill because it also gives me the opportunity to talk about my own dog, who I’ve been dying to talk about in the chamber for a very, very long time.
“My dog is called Ethel . . . Sometimes she allows me to sit on the couch.”
“The idea that Ireland remains the puppy farm capital of Europe is unconscionable,” he said.
The Bill also proposes to ban the practice of surgical artificial insemination, which is already outlawed in a number of countries.
Conor McGuinness of Sinn Féin was keen that the same welfare standards should apply to all dogs. “The continued exemption for greyhounds is not justified.”
Not justified? Certainly.
Not surprising? Definitely.
Party colleague Joanna Byrne is “the proud mammy of two beautiful fur babies: Benji and Frankie Byrne, and I was half tempted to hold up their pictures here today and ask how anybody could be so cruel or neglectful to little creatures like that”.
Thomas Gould followed her with high praise for Coco Gould, who “waits at the door for me shaking her tail off”.
Next up was Mark Ward, with fond words for his partner’s rescue dog Padmé Murphy, “who brings so much joy into our life”.
(Padmé is Princess Leia’s mother in Star Wars.)
Paul Donnelly completed Sinn Féin’s namechecking quartet with a mention for Cosmo, who died five weeks ago. “The house feels empty without her.” He said his party supports the Bill.
“We are a nation of dog lovers, but right under our nose we know that dogs are being mistreated, abused, used and discarded.”
Cat lovers think the same, according to Rory Hearne, who said his tabby cat was meowing in agreement when party colleague Jennifer was on Morning Ireland yesterday. The cat is called Echo.
Labour similarly wants quick action to tackle the callous and greedy breeders.
George Lawlor said the Bill is shining a light on an industry worth over €200 million, “which has effectively become a profit-driven model of exploitation rooted in animal cruelty”.
But the Bill should have a face and a name.
This brought him to a small pup called Stout who suffered severe health problems caused by malnutrition and the appalling conditions in which he was kept.
Despite the best efforts of Wexford Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, he died in August. However, two campaigners have used his story to spearhead a nationwide campaign for “Stout’s Law”, which will hold breeders to account and put animal welfare at the centre of every aspect of dog breeding.
All speakers wholeheartedly backed the Bill, including the Greens’ Roderic O’Gorman. His former leader, John Gormley, introduced the initial legislation 15 years ago in an attempt to curb the factory-like production of puppies.
“This is a political issue. In fact, I would say it is a ‘pawlitical’ issue that can no longer be ignored,” said Jen Cummins of the Soc Dems.
For Fine Gael’s Maeve O’Connell, the issue was close to her heart. “My current girl, Jenko, is a rescue and I applaud all those who work and volunteer in dog shelters.”
She struck a jarring note by saying the Bill was premature. She said Jenko would agree.
As it happens, that collaboration had already started. While contributors made the case for urgent reform, Noel Grealish was tic-tacking back and forth by phone with Deputy Whitmore across the floor from him while simultaneously in consultation with his department.
The upshot of all of this was a rare example of a decision happening in real time during a Dáil debate: an agreement that the 12-month deferment be reduced to nine.
