ENVIRONMENT Minister Andrew Muir has said he is committed to "closing loopholes" in future dog breeding legislation in Northern Ireland. 

Yesterday (Thursday), Minister Muir visited Castle Archdale in County Fermanagh, where he met officials from the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency (NIEA). 

During the visit, the Minister was asked about dog breeding legislation following a wide-ranging investigation from The Impartial Reporter, which revealed how some breeders in England are exploiting "legal loopholes" by registering their operations in Fermanagh.

When asked if bringing forward tighter legislation was a "priority", Minister Muir said: "The issue of animal welfare is a priority for me, and I have set that out. 

"What I intend to do over the short time ahead is to engage with  animal welfare charities and stakeholders in terms of policy and legislation that we can implement.

"I have already given a commitment to implement Lucy's Law [legal requirements related to the sale of dogs] around this, but we need to take more action to address animal cruelty. 

"It [animal cruelty] is a stain on our society, and it is important that we have the right tools, policy and legislation to deal with it."

Minister Muir was also asked if he intended to "close loopholes" within legislation. 

"I will try my best to do that, and that's why I am engaging with stakeholders," the Minister said. 

"It's important that we consult on some of the measures to ensure that we narrow the opportunities for loopholes that, unfortunately, people exploit."

The Minister added that he needs more resources in order to achieve his aims. 

"The key issue around this is resources. I need resources in my Department to take forward policy and legislation. That is a critical issue for the budget to allow us to do that.

"We have fallen behind on policy around animal welfare legislation, and I have a desire to catch up on that, but I need a settlement to address it.

"I would encourage anyone who had any concerns about animal welfare to report it to their district council," he added.