The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has not provided any capital or current funding to Dublin Zoo in either 2022 or to date in 2023.
My Department has responsibility for the implementation of the European Communities (Licensing and Inspection of Zoos) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No. 440/2003) which deal with the inspection, licensing and regulation of zoos and aquaria. These Regulations transpose the EU Zoos Directive, giving effect in the national context to the EU Zoo Directive (Directive 1999/22/EC of 29 March 1999 of the Council of the European Union). The NPWS’s role is to ensure that the Zoos are operating in compliance with the above Regulations and my Department does not ordinarily provide funding to zoos.