Countryside council joins IFA to launch ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign
(Left to right) IFA sheep chair Adrian Gallagher, IFA president Francie Gorman, chair of Comhairle na Tuaithe Éamon Ó’Cúiv and Matthew McGreehan on his farm in the Cooley Peninula, Co Louth, for the launch of the 2026 'No Dogs Allowed' campaign. Photo: Finbarr O'Rourke
The 2026 ‘No Dogs Allowed’ campaign was launched by Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) in collaboration with Comhairle na Tuaithe.
IFA president Francie Gorman said the scourge of dog attacks on livestock has to be confronted by imposing the full rigours of the law.
“The reality is that dog owners who behave irresponsibly don’t believe there will be consequences for their actions. Until the authorities devote the resources needed to crack down on this behaviour, the devastation caused by dog attacks will continue,” he said.
Comhairle na Tuaithe have joined forces with IFA for the first time to reinforce the responsibility that comes with being a dog owner.
The chair of Comhairle na Tuaithe, Éamon Ó’Cúiv, said: “We all recognise the benefits of spending time outdoors and here in Ireland we are fortunate to have so many wonderful opportunities.
"We all need to be mindful that many of our trails and walking routes are on private lands and without the goodwill of farmers we would not have access to many areas of the countryside.”
The members of Comhairle na Tuaithe recognise the benefits associated with dog ownership and support the provision of dog-friendly amenities. However, they agree that there are outdoor places which are not suitable to bring a dog for exercise, including upland areas of farmland.
It is vital that we all act responsibly, and support and respect the landowners who have allowed access to their lands.
The IFA first launched the campaign in 2021 but despite appeal for action the organisation has said neither the Government nor local authorities have done enough to address the issue.
IFA sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said the IFA has consistently called for appropriate sanctions and to develop a single national database identifying dogs and their owners, similar to other jurisdictions.
“The critical issue in the first instance is to have all dogs in the country microchipped, registered to the owner and licensed in order to establish a national database for all dogs and the person responsible for the dog,” he said.
“It’s a critical time of the year as lambing is taking place. Dogs are not allowed on or near farmland and we are asking dog owners to behave in a responsible way and adhere to this.”
“The lack of robust enforcement of the legal obligations on dog owners has allowed horrendous attacks to persist and increase across the country. It is unacceptable… We are demanding stronger regulations and stricter enforcement for those who disregard the safety and wellbeing of our livestock,” Adrian Gallagher said.
“It is also important to remind dog owners that they are fully liable for any damages caused to farmers and their livestock and dogs found on our lands can be shot,” he concluded.
