To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to address the illegal trafficking of puppies.

The illegal trade in pups is an abhorrent practice which my Department continues to strive to address, working in conjunction with other key agencies under the ‘Paws For Thought’ campaign.

Portal checks on suspect movements continue to take place on an intelligence led basis, and a comprehensive review of those checks is currently underway.

Following discussions with my officials, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has agreed to convene a summit meeting of officials from across the United Kingdom (UK) to determine the action that can be taken at a UK-wide level to address illegal movements. My officials have also raised the need for measures to be taken to curb illegal cross-border movements with their counterparts in the Irish Government.