Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has brought a draft legislation to the cabinet in an attempt to tackle puppy farms.
Puppy farms are known for breeding dogs in large numbers and in poor conditions.
The Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2026 proposes to introduce a number of new measures. These include: lowering litter numbers, introducing a maximum and minimum age that can be bred, and ensuring minimum staffing ratios.
A minimum age a pup can be sold has also been proposed.
The standard of living for dogs at puppy farms will be addressed by the legislation. Mr Heydon said the new legislation "supports responsible dog breeders by distinguishing compliant operations from non-compliant ones".
"While the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 has served as the foundation of regulation in this area, the current legislation needs to evolve to meet modern animal welfare standards and enforcement needs. The bill targets sales practices that can lead to poor outcomes for pups in terms of socialisation and early development, such as third-party sale after separation from the premises where they were born and reared," Mr Heydon said.
"It should give consumers greater confidence and protection when purchasing a dog, ensuring they can see where and how it has been reared. By tightening regulations, increasing transparency, and introducing meaningful penalties, we are sending a clear message that poor standards and exploitation will not be tolerated," he continued.
Agriculture Spokesperson for the Social Democrats Jennifer Whitmore told RTE: "Legislation that protects and ensures the welfare of dogs is long overdue, and whilst I welcome any progress in this area, the devil will be in the detail with this particular bill. It will be important that any legislation includes a cap on the number of breeding females on any puppy farm, and strict regulation on the conditions they are kept in. Half measures will not be acceptable when it comes to this legislation."
