Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will clarify the responsibility her Department has for legislation in relation to domestic animals, for example cats; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18556/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's statutory responsibility in relation to the welfare and protection of animals relates to animals kept for farming purposes and does not extend to animals kept as pets.

My Department does have a role in relation to import controls in the context of rabies and this is exercised through the operation of the EU Pet Passport System.

The Protection of Animals Acts, 1911 and 1965 are the principal statutes governing cruelty to animals in this country. Responsibility for pursuing complaints under that legislation rests with An Garda Síochána. On receipt of such complaints, the Garda has a statutory basis on which to investigate and bring a prosecution against any person alleged to have committed an act of cruelty against an animal.

In addition, my Department provides ex-gratia funding to organisations involved in the direct delivery of animal care and welfare services to assist in their on-going work. A provision of €1.1m is included in my Department's Estimates for 2006 for this purpose in respect of work to be undertaken in 2007.