Vol. 553 No. 5
169 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will give additional funding to the Cat Protection Association of Ireland in view of its difficult financial circumstances and invaluable work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14703/02]
My Department does not operate any specific schemes of financial assistance to animal welfare bodies. In recent years however, it has been possible to make ex gratia funding available to a number of animal welfare bodies from resources available towards the end of each year. Towards the end of 2001, grants totalling £512,500, €650,741, were made to 52 organisations involved in the delivery of animal care and welfare services throughout the country to assist them in their work in the current year. The organisations concerned had approached the Department during 2001 seeking financial assistance. Such payments included a grant of £8,500, €10,792, to the Cat Protection Society of Ireland.
The payment of such grant aid is an end-of-year exercise and is in all cases dependent on there being available resources within my Department's Vote at the time in question. I cannot therefore commit in advance to providing assistance in any particular instance. I note all requests and at the appropriate time will consider any further request from the Cat Protection Society of Ireland in the light of available resources and having regard to any competing claims for grant assistance which will doubtless be submitted by other welfare bodies. Where resources are available I have consistently sought to spread grant assistance as widely as possible so as to achieve maximum benefit in care and welfare terms for the greatest possible number of animals throughout the country.
A formal statutory framework for cat control is already provided for under the Control of Dogs Act, 1986, which is administered by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. That Act provides for the introduction of regulations in relation to cats, which would allow the local authority to take possession of unwanted cats. Section 33 of the Act would enable the Minister to make grants towards the expenses of a local authority or to any person concerned with the provision of homes or shelters for stray or unwanted cats or with the welfare of cats.
