Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the legal basis on which she has provided funding to animal health and welfare organisations which are not involved in issues relating to farm animals; if in view of her Department's announcement in December 2006 of funding to many such organisations, she would accept responsibility for ensuring Ireland's signature and ratification of the European Convention on the Protection of Pet Animals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3740/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1995, my Department has made ex gratia payments to a number of organisations directly involved in the delivery of animal care and welfare services. The funding available to any individual organisation is dependent on resources available and the level of demand and is therefore intended only as a contribution to the overall costs of the organisation. Until 2004, these ex gratia payments were made from residual funds available in the Department's Vote at the end of the year. From 2004, specific provisions for this purpose have been included in and published as part of the Department's estimates. These continue to be ex gratia payments which are sanctioned annually by the Department of Finance.

In relation to the protection and welfare of animals, my Department has statutory responsibility for the welfare and protection of farmed animals under the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes Act 1984, and the European Communities (Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes) Regulations 2006 (SI No 705 of 2006). It does not have statutory responsibility for the care and welfare of other animals such as domestic pets or exotic animals.