Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. As she outlines, social farming is continuing to grow. It certainly is growing year on year and its reach is far, and very much into the lives of many people for their enrichment and that whole connection with people. The social farming network funded by the Department is still in development. We are at a stage of growth. It requires substantial support. Certainly, as I indicated, funding for placements comes from a wide variety of sources.

The knowledge of social farming is now being embedded with service providers such as the HSE and other support agencies, and it is very much becoming core to a lot of the services that they provide. That is good. Maybe there is something there to develop those relationships further, not only in these agencies but across government as well.

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