Higher fines for rogue puppy farm operators in animal welfare strategy

Increased fines and sanctions concerning the welfare of dogs in puppy farms are to be a key priority in a new animal welfare strategy going to Cabinet on Tuesday.

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is to brief ministers on the five-year plan, which aims to promote higher standards of welfare for animals through a new framework.

Stronger powers for dog wardens will be considered, with support for increased dog microchipping fixed payment notices.

It also will see public awareness campaigns developed on responsible pet ownership, with an emphasis on preventing sheep worrying and on keeping dogs under control in the countryside.

It will also look at increased awareness and support for urban horse projects and a dedicated working group to address the regulation of horse-drawn vehicles on public roads.

Increased collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and local authorities on operational matters around dog and horse control are envisaged in the plan.

Minister for Higher and Further Education James Lawless is to brief Government about plans to build student accommodation for up to 3,300 beds across four campuses.

The projects will be at TU Dublin’s Grangegorman campus, MTU Cork, ATU Galway and the Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, which will all be covered by a single expression of interest to be put forward under the Higher Education Student Accommodation Programme (HSAP).

Proposals will also be sought for off-campus purpose-built student bedrooms in Dublin, Cork and Galway, which will be expanded in phases for University College Cork, the University of Galway, Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University. Development work is also happening in Waterford, Limerick and Athlone.

The programme aims to support the building of accommodation for 42,000 new student beds by 2035.

Minister for Housing James Browne is to look for approval of a national planning statement on short-term letting, which will put in place previously flagged reforms of the sector.

The new approach will, in effect, mean a ban on short-term lettings from getting planning permission in towns and cities of more than 20,000, although in smaller settlements they will be considered by councils for permission.

He will also seek permission to publish a planning statement on apartment standards after a previous move in this area was subject to judicial review. That initial move is to be replaced by the new statement, which intends to achieve similar aims.

Minister for Climate Darragh O’Brien is to talk to the Cabinet about his attendance at next week’s COP31 climate change conference in Turkey, seeking approval to join initiatives while there.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers is to brief Cabinet ministers on the adoption of artificial intelligence in the public sector, including the findings of a recent survey showing 87 per cent of Government departments and public service bodies were using the technology.

He will also look for permission to publish the Public Service Data Strategy and bring a memo to Government on the construction “pipeline” for hundreds of infrastructure projects.

Minister for Finance Simon Harris is to brief Cabinet on amendments to the Finance Bill, including one that will hit providers of the new State investment accounts with a €3,000 penalty if they knowingly accept an ineligible contribution from a non-resident individual.

Other amendments will extend a range of tax incentives for investment, including “angel investor relief” from capital gains tax, the employment investment incentive and the start-up capital incentive and start-up relief for entrepreneurs. All will be extended until the end of next year.