A Review of The Draft Programme for Government 2025

Animal Law Ireland reviewed some of the key points in the draft Programme for Government 2025, published on January 15, 2025.

We have included a summary of the initiatives, as outlined by the Government, concerning animals, marine life, the environment and the justice system.

We have also included any points regarding protection of emergency service workers, road and online safety and the abuse of humans, as animals can be involved in these areas too.  It is not clear if animals will be considered in the government’s plans.

The full draft text is available here.

Strengthening Animal Welfare

• Introduce more robust sanctions for animal welfare violations.
• Ensure inspection teams are well-resourced in carrying out their enforcement role.
• Maintain premier animal welfare standards by advancing a zero-tolerance culture in animal care and safety.
• Increase funding to animal welfare groups.
• Upgrade regional veterinary laboratories.

Poultry, Pigs and Live Animal Export

• Increase market access for poultry and pig products, while funding capital investments in these sectors in order to improve animal health and welfare.
• Protect vital live export markets as an important income source, while maintaining the highest animal welfare standards.

Dogs

• Address the disjointed approach to dog control issues by ensuring all legislation and policy in relation to the control of dogs, dog welfare and dog breeding establishments rests with the Department of Agriculture.
• Increase the number of Dog Wardens across the country.
• Increase fines for littering and dog fouling.

Equine and Greyhound Sectors

• Continue to support our equine sector’s status as a global leader and deliver on key strategic infrastructure projects.
• Support the development of the sport horse sector.
• Enhance the marketing and breeding of Irish sport horses.
• Ensure the continued support to the Horse and Greyhound Fund, considering the vital economic and social contribution generated by these sectors in rural areas.
• Ensure that Rásaíocht Con Éireann continues to provide financial support for the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (IRGT) and contributes to rehoming greyhounds.
• Make additional resources available to enhance both animal welfare and traceability in our equine and greyhound industry.
• Bring forward a Control of Horses Bill to modernise legislation in this area and to ensure a consistent approach to enforcement powers around detention, notice and release of stray horses seized by local authorities.

Water Quality and the Nitrates Derogation at EU level

• This government will do everything within its power to make the case at EU level to secure the retention of the Nitrates Derogation given our unique grass-based production model.
• We will work with famers, industry, state agencies and local authorities to develop evidence-based solutions to assist farmers in improving water quality.
• Establish a Cabinet Committee on Water Quality chaired by the Taoiseach to coordinate water quality improvements across all sectors.
• Work with farmers and industry to secure Ireland’s nitrates derogation at EU level, by implementing the Nitrates Derogation Renewal Plan in support of retention
• Expand the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP).
• Continue to support the EIP Farming for Water scheme by increasing funding. This vital scheme improves water quality in priority areas nationally and directly aids farmers with advice, support and resources.
• Enhance collaboration on water testing by improving partnerships between farmers, Teagasc and the EPA in order to uphold water quality.
• Develop an all-island plan to improve water basin management, water quality and nature restoration.

Wildlife and Cattle: The National TB Eradication Strategy

• Review and update the National TB 2030 Eradication Strategy by working in collaboration with farmers and industry.
• Ensure appropriate staffing of the Wildlife Control Programme and resource regional veterinary offices to carry out this vital work.
• Ensure the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group action plan is sufficiently resourced.

Fisheries and Marine

• Re-establish a Minister of State for Fisheries/Marine who will work closely with the
• Review and strengthen conservation measures for marine ecosystems and wildlife.
• We will also expand Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)and establish wildlife sanctuaries.
• Bring forward an action plan to maintain healthy fish stocks and safeguard inland fisheries as an important resource for rural areas.
• Protect and recognise the Great Western Lakes as salmonoid waters, so they will continue to be pristine habitats for native fish species.
• Modernise and consolidate legislation pertaining to inland fisheries.
• Carry out an independent review of Inland Fisheries Ireland.
• Work to provide robust oversight and accountability by engaging with the inland fisheries sector.

Ireland’s Climate Goals

• Deliver actions to achieve a 51% reduction in emissions from 2018 to 2030 and net-zero emissions no later than 2050.
• Publish an annual Climate Action Plan, placing a focus on a smaller number of strategic and impactful actions across all sectors, and publish a quarterly progress report.
• Enhance and improve the Governance Structures to deliver the Climate Action Plan and the underpinning legislation.

Nature Restoration Law

• Ensure that all measures under the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) will be completely voluntary for farmers.
• Progress Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan and ensure restoration actions on State lands.

Promoting a Circular Economy

• The Government is committed to ending the wasteful cycle of take-make-consume throw-away, promoting sustainable practices that extend the life of products and reduce waste.
• Continue and expand the Clean Oceans Initiative to collect, reduce and reuse marine litter and clean up our marine environment.

Protecting Heritage and Nature

• Create new national parks and increase funding to the NPWS to support its operation and visitor experiences.
• Further develop and strengthen the NPWS as Ireland’s leading natural heritage agency
• Create an NPWS internship programme encompassing traditional skills, ecology, wildlife rangers and advanced nature research
• Develop Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan with prioritisation of restoration actions on State lands and in consultation and partnership with farmers and local communities on voluntary measures.
• Commit to clear targets within the National Biodiversity Plan, working closely with local authorities to achieve meaningful progress in each area.
• Continue to invest in managing the spread of invasive species.
• Continue to support local authority biodiversity officers in their work to protect our natural environment

The Justice System

• Prioritise investment across the justice system, including in An Garda Síochána, in the Courts, in the Director of Public Prosecutions, in the Prisons and in the Probation Service.
• Roll out ‘see something, say something’ nationally as a confidential text and messaging system and continue to support community alert groups.
• Establish a new Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

An Garda Síochána

• Expand the Garda Dog Unit nationwide and complete a new centre of excellence
• Legislate to give Gardaí the authority to request passwords for electronic devices when executing a search warrant.
• Publish a new Rural Safety Strategy and support An Garda Síochána to expand successful approaches to tackling rural crime.
• Ensure each community policing area has a dedicated community Garda, so everyone knows their local officer and how to contact them

The Courts and Legal System

• Examine further measures to penalise those who assault emergency workers in the course of their duties.
• Establishing a modern courts and legal system is vital for ensuring fair access to justice, improving efficiency, and enhancing the overall experience for all users.
• Appoint 20 additional judges within 12 months and plan for further increases to meet growing demands and timely access to justice.
• Provide a new power to the Minister to ask the Judicial Council to draw up sentencing guidelines for a particular crime area within a certain timeframe.
• Establish a Judicial Training Institute under the Judicial Council to support ongoing training and continuous professional development for judges and prospective judges.
• Complete a review of the Courts Service and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority within 12 months and consider legislative amendments to ensure the Courts and Legal System are digital, modern, cost-effective, and focused on the needs of victims
• Introduce independent oversight of professional legal education, support the development of a national apprenticeship programme for solicitor training, and remove barriers to becoming a solicitor or barrister.
• Complete a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system within 12 months and publish an action plan to improve efficiency, remove blockages and cut waiting times.
• Prioritise implementation of the e-evidence package, including the establishment of a new agency, to make it easier and faster for law enforcement and judicial authorities to obtain the electronic evidence they need to investigate and eventually prosecute criminals.
• Work to design and implement a modern courts infrastructure, including the move to digitalisation.
• Establish a regional office for the Director of Public Prosecutions and a permanent on-site build in Dublin.
• Sign up to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
• Strengthen the Local Democracy and Court Reporting Schemes to ensure they are meeting their intended objectives in producing high-quality reports for regional audiences.

Online Safety

• Support and fund Coimisiún na Meán in enforcing the Online Safety Code.
• Work with Coimisiún na Meán to inform children, young people, and their parents about their rights online under the new safety framework

Road Safety

The Government is committed to reducing road deaths and creating safer roads for everyone in Ireland.

• Support the implementation of Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, increase public awareness and crack down on dangerous driving.
• Maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of road safety enforcement and proceedings in court to include freeing up Gardaí from the need to attend court for road traffic offences, digitising all relevant documents and ensuring that information is shared in real time between the Courts Service, An Garda Siochána, the Department of Transport and other relevant agencies.
• Allow the public to upload dashcam footage of dangerous driving to a new Garda portal, making it easier to report incidents.
• Use ongoing data analysis and local knowledge to identify accident-prone areas and focus road safety interventions where they are most needed.
• Continue the work underway to consolidate the Road Traffic Acts legislation.

Domestic, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence

• Establishing a zero tolerance approach to domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence is vital for safeguarding individuals and promoting a safer society.
• Fully implement the Zero Tolerance Plan 2022–2026 and develop a new plan for 2026–2030.
• Continue to support and fully resource Cuan, the new agency dedicated to reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
• Deliver at least 280 refuge spaces by 2026.
• We will set new targets in the successor strategy and ensure that there is a refuge in every county along with additional safe homes for those in need.
• Establish specialised judges to handle domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence cases and invest in training for Gardaí and the DPP to better support victims.

Political Reform

• Support the role of the Parliamentary Budget Office and the Office of the Parliamentary Legal Advisers in assisting Oireachtas members to scrutinise policy and produce feasible policy and legislative proposals.

Illegal Dumping and Littering

• The Government is committed to tackling littering and illegal dumping, creating cleaner cities, towns, and villages across Ireland. Through stronger enforcement, regular clean-ups, and ambitious waste reduction targets, we aim to keep our public spaces beautiful and support a more sustainable approach to waste.
• Increase penalties to deter littering and illegal dumping, ensuring those who harm our environment face significant consequences.
• Target dumping black spots and use tools like CCTV and drones to monitor dumping hotspots, making it easier to catch and penalise offenders.