Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the grants available from her Department for pet farming; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6540/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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No grants are available from my Department for pet farming.

As the Deputy may be aware, my Department has in recent years made ex gratia payments to a number of organisations which are wholly involved in the delivery of direct care and welfare services to animals. In this regard, some €1.2 million was paid to 86 organisations in December last to assist them during 2006 and a provision of €1.1 million for this purpose is included in my Department's Estimates for 2006.