Legislation requiring all dogs to be microchipped is to be introduced by the Agriculture Minister. Simon Coveney says it will take some time to put the necessary regulation in place and measures will be taken to ensure it is cost-effective.
The microchipping will apply across the board. Minister Coveney has said he wants a central database to determine the number of dogs in the country.
The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) has welcomed the announcement.
It says it sees this as "a significant step in the prevention of dog trafficking in Ireland which has been seriously impeded by loopholes in the current legislation".
It says at any one time there can be up to 10,000 animals being sold on the internet that are sourced in Ireland and which are being bred for trafficking purposes.
Independent TD for Kerry-South Michael Healy-Rae says the Minister is overreacting. He spoke to Breakfast here on Newstalk.
new jPlayerPlaylist({ jPlayer: '#0', cssSelectorAncestor: '#jp_container_0' }, [ { title:'Michael Healy-Rae', mp3:'http://www.radiocms.net/content/hose/media/000178/215821_0854712.mp3'
} ], { swfPath: '/assets/includes/js/jPlayer', supplied: 'mp3', wmode: 'window' });
