Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is set to bring new proposals to Cabinet aimed at significantly expanding the enforcement powers of Department of Agriculture officials pursuing animal welfare cases across Ireland.

Under the draft measures, search warrants issued for animal welfare investigations could be re-used multiple times within their standard 30-day validity window. The change would permit authorized inspectors to re-examine properties over the course of a month without having to seek additional search warrants from the courts.

The proposed legislative changes would also extend the statutory time limit for commencing prosecutions under animal welfare law from one year to two years. The extension is intended to give investigators and legal teams sufficient time to build cases involving complex neglect or cruelty allegations.

In addition, the proposals aim to allow designated animal welfare organizations to apply for reimbursement for expenses incurred while caring for seized animals. The changes form part of Ireland's upcoming Animal Welfare Strategy 2026–2030, aligning with commitments under the Programme for Government to apply stricter sanctions and foster a zero-tolerance approach to welfare violations.