Minister for Community Development Heather Humphreys has expressed dismay as to 'why anyone would want to own an XL Bully'.The group, established to look at all policy and legislative aspects of the Dog Control Act and Dog Breeding Establishment Act, is expected to advise the Minister on how a ban could be effectively implemented following serious incidents involving XL bullies including the fatal attack earlier this month on Limerick woman Nicole Morey.
Dealing with the issue in the Dáil this week the Minister stressed that “we do not want to be out of kilter with Northern Ireland. There is no point in them being banned there and having a different arrangement south of the Border.”I had the luxury for a few years to not have to question holding my wife’s hand on the street
But she said “we have to tease out how we will police and manage this and what it really means. It is okay to ban things, but it is about how we implement the ban and make sure we achieve” an effective outcome. She is also looking at how bans were introduced in Denmark and France. “I absolutely do not know why anyone would want to own an XL Bully. That is being straight. They are bred to be aggressive and they are dangerous in my book,” she said.