Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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504. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the reinforcement by UK officials to have dogs travelling between here and the UK to have a rabies vaccination, if he will consider the increased funding needs of animal rescue centres in the country arising as a result of rabies vaccination costs; if he will extend the family pet 2015 derogation from the rabies vaccination to include rescue dogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42434/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides funding to animal welfare organisations directly involved in the delivery of animal care. I am hoping to be able to continue such funding again this year. This allocation depends on the availability of funds at the end of each financial year.

The new Pet Passport Regulation (EC) No 576/2013 comes into force from 1 January 2015. While both Ireland and the UK sought and achieved an amendment to the Commission proposal providing the possibility of a derogation from rabies vaccination for non commercial pets movements from 2015, this was not extended to commercial traffic which unfortunately includes the rehoming of rescue dogs from Ireland to the UK.