Vol. 552 No. 1
171 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the various concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11456/02]
My Department does not operate any specific schemes of financial assistance for animal welfare bodies. In recent years however, I have made ex gratia funding available to a number of appropriate bodies involved in the delivery of animal care and welfare services throughout the country, having regard to resources available to me from within the Department's Vote at end-year. In December 2001 grants totalling €650,741, £512,500 were awarded to 52 organisations to assist them in their activities. Sligo SPCA was awarded grant aid of €6,348, £5,000, in 2000 and €8,888, £7,000, in 2001.
As the payment of such aid is invariably an end-of-year exercise dependent on the resources available within the Department's Vote, the possibility of any disbursements in 2002 to any animal welfare bodies cannot be addressed until much later this year.
