Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the amount of staff time and money that has gone into assisting the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in its efforts to deal with abandoned horses for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10844/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, Local Authorities have the primary role for dealing with wandering or straying horses. The Act includes provisions for seizure and detention of stray horses and disposal of horses seized. I am empowered by the Act to make grants available to each Local Authority towards expenses they incur in its implementation.

It is not possible to quantify the exact amount of Department staff time involved in this area of work because these duties are amongst a range of duties performed in the veterinary and animal welfare areas of the Department. Ordinarily a portion of time of an Assistant Principal Officer and a small number of support staff is allocated to this function, while Veterinary Inspectors across all Department regional veterinary offices become involved where necessary.

In so far as expenditure is concerned, my Department has provided funding as follows to Local Authorities to assist them in implementing Control of horses Act: 2008 – funding of €1.988m provided, 2009 – funding of €2.156m provided and 2010 – funding of €2.466m provided.