Animal welfare is a high priority for my Department and considerable resources and funding are provided to organisations involved in rescuing and rehoming animals. In December 2021, I provided record funding of €3.7million to 98 animal welfare bodies throughout the country.
As with previous years, the full amount of funding awarded was provided directly to these organisations in December 2021 for the direct provision of care for animals throughout 2022.
The Programme for Government includes an undertaking to provide additional funding in support of animal welfare again this year, to which I am fully committed.
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.
To be eligible for funding, applicant organisations must be registered charities and must supply detailed information on their governance arrangements and financial records.
In 2021, to further enhance the impact of public funding for animal welfare bodies nationwide, my Department has 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 application places emphasis on the ‘One Health, One Welfare’ approach to education and dissemination of knowledge to improve animal welfare delivered by the organisations.
This emphasis on education and knowledge sharing is in place again this year with additional criteria added to the application process for assessment.
All applications are assessed using the same robust processes and criteria outlined above, regardless of size or location.
