POLL: Should XL Bullies be banned in Ireland?

The Minister for the Environment, Eamon Ryan, has today (June 6) confirmed he would support an outright ban on XL Bullies in Ireland, sparking online discussions by people for and against the idea. 

It comes following the tragic death of Limerick woman, Nicole Morey, whose XL Bully fatally attacked her on the night of her birthday on Tuesday June 4. 

It's not the only tragedy which has been caused by the breed; Alejandro Mizsan (who is now 11 years old) suffered severe injuries to his face, body and legs when he was attacked by an XL Bully while playing with friends in Wexford in 2022.  

The UK banned XL Bullies (with exemptions) in England and Wales last year due to a disproportionate number of deaths over the previous two years. 

Meanwhile, Ireland has not banned any breed of dogs, instead keeping a list of 11 restricted breeds. 

The XL Bully - which is a hybrid of several breeds including Pitbulls and American Bulldogs - falls under the 'ban-dog' category on the restricted list. 

According to Today FM, Minister Ryan said, "I personally would be supportive of us restricting, banning such breeds because it's not just that they're a threat to their owner, it's they're a threat to the community.

"I mean, literally a threat in the sense that when you're walking down path and you see that type of dog coming at you, you're scared. And I'm thinking, well, why are we terrorising people in our communities?"

A stakeholders group - chaired by a former Deputy Garda Commissioner - is currently looking into issues around dog control, particularly breeds which are already on the restricted list.