Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the level of support his Department provides to voluntary animal welfare organisations. [4930/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1995, my Department has made ex-gratia payments to animal welfare organisations to assist in their work in the direct delivery of animal care and welfare services. Initially, these payments were made from residual funds in my Department's Vote at the end of each year. However, specific provisions for this purpose have been included in my Department's Estimates in recent years. Ex gratia funding is intended only as a contribution to the overall costs of these largely voluntary organisations, which operate throughout the country in both urban and rural areas.

The level of support provided in recent years is as follows: