Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Both the Department and I are fully committed to supporting sustainable One Health, One Welfare initiatives in line with the programme for Government and Working Together for Animal Welfare, our animal welfare strategy for the period up to 2025. We continue to support a number of urban horse projects nationwide as a result of our approach. These projects foster community leadership on education and responsible ownership for young people from disadvantaged communities and backgrounds. Supports for the projects are typically provided by the local authorities, and funding provided by my Department is paid directly through the local authorities to support these projects.

Through Cork County Council, my Department has supported a Cork city horse project, which was a collaborative initiative involving Cork city and county councils and community statekholders, including the Traveller visibility group. We welcome further submissions through local authorities for assistance in Cork under our urban horse project scheme. In 2022, we provided combined funding of €4,150 to Cork city and county councils for the control of horses. To further encourage and develop projects nationwide, officials in my Department are planning a seminar dedicated to the promotion of urban horse projects.

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