Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
1963. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria that determined the amount of funding that was given to each animal welfare organisation under the €3.7 million allocated to organisations on animal welfare awareness day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63270/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2021, I announced the record allocation of €3.7 million in grants to 98 animal welfare charities throughout the country.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, these awards mark the largest award of grant funding to animal welfare bodies ever made by my Department. This additional support will make a real difference to the welfare of animals nationwide.
Applications for annual funding from animal welfare organisations are assessed carefully and awards are made on the basis of objective criteria. These include the level and type of assistance provided by the organisation in the delivery of care and welfare services to animals and the level of funding raised by organisations from other sources to support welfare activities.
This year, to further enhance the impact of public funding for animal welfare bodies nationwide, my Department aligned our funding model with the animal welfare policies, objectives and priorities outlined in Together for Animal Welfare, Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. Consequently, the assessment of funding placed emphasis on the ‘One Health, One Welfare’ approach to education and dissemination of knowledge to improve animal welfare delivered by the organisations.
To be eligible for funding, applicant organisations must be registered charities and must supply detailed information on their governance arrangements and financial records.
