Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding issued to a society (details supplied) by way of grants in 2017; the purposes for which it was provided; the reporting obligations on the society attached to the grant of the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37980/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has approved the Connemara Pony Breeders Society to maintain the studbook for the breed and the Society’s role includes devising and implementing measures to promote, develop and conserve the breed.

In 2017 my Department provided €850,000 in grant supports under projects which support improvements in equine breeding schemes and systems in the non-thoroughbred horse sector.  These include training, education, health and promotion initiatives/projects.

From that amount, the Connemara Pony Breeders Society received grant aid towards a number of projects totalling €145,472 in 2017.

All project proposals are assessed by a team of department staff before approval is issued and all approved projects are fully vouched before payment is issued. An annual financial control check is also conducted by Department staff.

The Connemara pony is part of Ireland’s heritage and has rare breed status according to criteria set out by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. My Department also supports the conservation and preservation of our national rare equine breeds, including the Connemara pony under the Green Low carbon Agri-environmental Scheme (GLAS).