The new regulations will come into effect on December 1st.
Photo by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys has announced stronger regulations and funding for dog control.
Dog owners will face €300 on the spot fines for failing to keep their dogs under control.
The new regulations will come into effect from December 1st.
IFA Sheep Chairman Kevin Comiskey said the regulations brought in by Minister Humphreys is a step in the right direction.
However Comiskey believes more needs to be done to protect farmers and their livestock.
IFA looked for a single National Database for all dogs to correlate licensing and microchipping, identifying the person responsible for the dog, and increasing the number of dog wardens on the ground.
The IFA says this must be provided.
Kevin Comiskey has also said an essential aspect of enhanced legislation will be enforcement.
This will require more dog wardens on the ground as recommended in the report of the working group of control of dogs put forward to the Minister.
“It’s disappointing more of the positive measures put forward by the working group on control of dogs were not implemented."
"These would provide significant support to farmers in protecting their livestock,” he said.
Kevin Comiskey said the new stakeholder group announced must convene immediately and commence work on bringing forward the proposals of the working group.
He said the irresponsible behaviour of dog owners continues to lead to devastating consequences across the country.
Comiskey said dogs should not be allowed near farmland and urged all dog owners to behave in a responsible way and adhere to this.
