Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 May 2024
133. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he can clarify whether all animal organisations are treated equally in terms of information being sought from them (details supplied). [23034/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAnimal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. Considerable funding is provided to support animal welfare charity organisations in their valuable work through the animal welfare grants programme. In December 2023, I announced record funding of €6 million to 101 animal welfare charities, through the animal welfare grants programme. In April 2024, I announced the opening of this years animal welfare grants programme application process.
As part of a robust and comprehensive application process, applicants are asked to provide information on their activities, with successful applicants allocated funding on the basis of objective criteria which are reviewed on an annual basis. These awards align with government policy and the goals set out in my Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025, Working Together for Animal Welfare, which I published in 2021.
Governance and appropriate oversight are key elements of the animal welfare grants programme, as it involves the allocation of public funds. Organisations wishing to apply to the animal welfare grants programme are asked for information relating to their activities, governance and procedures as part of the application process. Organisations which do not apply are not asked for this information.
The Dog Breeding Establishment Register (DBE) is public and published online by the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) and is available here: gov - Dog Control (www.gov.ie).
