The Government is to clamp down hard on dog owners who flout the laws following recent attacks.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue will bring a memo to cabinet today recommending recruitment of an additional 40 new dog wardens and a doubling of fines under the Control of Dogs Act.
The recommendations stem from the ongoing review of dog legislation, initiated after a young boy was mauled by a pit bull in Co Wexford.
Last November Alejandro Miszan suffered severe facial injuries when he was attacked by an unmuzzled and unaccompanied pitbull terrier in Enniscorthy.
As a result of that incident and because of dog attacks on sheep, a review of dogs law and enforcement was initiated and a working group set up.
Minister McConalogue is expected to recommend the recruitment of an additional 40 dog wardens, bringing the total at least 90, as well as a doubling of fines under the Control of Dogs Act from €2,500 to €5,000.
There are also plans to create two centralised databases for registering dog microchips and dog breeding establishments.
These measures flow from 15 recommendations made in an interim report from the interdepartmental working group, which is continuing its examination of all issues pertaining to the control of dogs.
