NEW REGULATIONS ARE being put to Cabinet this morning to ban the importation, breeding and selling of XL bully dogs from 1 October.

In July, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys proposed that XL bully dogs would be banned after a spate of attacks. The ban will take place in two phases, beginning with a ban on the sale, breeding and importation beginning on 1 October.

It’s understood Humphreys told a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting last night that she has prepared a memo that will be brought forward at cabinet this morning outlining the regulations for the first phase of the ban.

From 1 February 2025, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully unless the owner has a Certificate of Exemption – which will ensure that the owner has a licence for the dog and that the dog is microchipped and neutered.

After this date, any owner not compliant with the new regulations will have their dog seized and euthanized.

Many animal behavioural experts have taken issue with the new regulations, including the ISPCA who said it was concerned over potential increases in dog abandonments as a result of the ban.

Some experts have said the issue is with training for the owner of the dogs. Writing in The Journal in January after the UK took a similar measure, dog behaviourist Suzi Walsh said dog attacks won’t be solved with just a ban on certain breeds.

But Humphreys said at the time of announcing the ban that the measure was being taken “in the interest of public safety” following a number of attacks by the breed, including when 23-year-old Nicole Morey died earlier this year.

Meanwhile, it is understood Taoiseach Simon Harris is expected to update Cabinet on the work of the Dublin city taskforce – a group aimed at rejuvenating the city centre – and tell them that a report will be published in two-weeks time.

Ahead of the report, the Taoiseach plans to make separate announcement at Cabinet this morning that additional CCTV will be rolled out in Dublin’s north inner city in areas where there is high anti-social behaviour, it is understood.