Legislation requiring all dogs to be microchipped is to be introduced by Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney.

Mr Coveney told the Dáil it would take some time to put the necessary regulation in place and there would be a proper consultation process to ensure it was done right and was cost-effective.

He said microchipping would apply across the board, as it did already with dog-breeding establishments and the greyhound industry. “We cannot have different standards applying depending on where a puppy happens to come from,’’ he added.

Mr Coveney said he wanted a central database to know how many dogs there were in the country. “Accordingly, if there is a case of a stray dog, or one which has suffered cruelty or was abandoned, we can then establish who owned the dog and take appropriate action,’’ he added.

Mr Coveney was speaking during a debate on the Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012, which updates some 50 laws covering animal health and welfare.