Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the plans her Department has to provide grants or funding to associations (details supplied) seeking to provide proper facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24080/04]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Although my Department does not operate any specific schemes of financial assistance for animal welfare bodies, ex-gratia funding has been provided in recent years to a number of appropriate bodies involved in the direct delivery of animal care and welfare services throughout the country having regard to moneys available from within my Department's Vote at year end. Each application received is assessed as to suitability for payment.

In the expectation that funds will be available from within my Department's Vote towards the end of 2004, I expect to be in a position to make grants available, on a basis similar to previous years, to organisations which directly deliver animal care and welfare services and which have approached my Department in the course of this year requesting assistance.