The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has confirmed that 30 people have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 since it was introduced.

20 of those prison sentences were suspended.

Responding to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil TD, Pádraig O'Sullivan this week, Minister Heydon said that 181 individuals have been successfully prosecuted and fines in excess of€311,558 have been imposed.

The Animal Health and Welfare Act provides a framework for regulating and applying standards in the area of animal health and welfare, and replaced a number of enactments dating back over a century.

The act came into operation in March 2014, and is kept under constant review.

The minister said his department continues to enforce the act along with An Garda Síochána, the customs service, and authorised officers from the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The table below shows a breakdown of fines imposed by the courts in excess of €5,000, individuals sentenced to imprisonment and individuals banned from owning animals for the period 2020-25.

Minister Heydon said his department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation. The helpline number is 01 607 2379.

The Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) also operates a confidential helpline to report any suspicions of animal cruelty, neglect, or abuse. It is available at 0818 515 515.