Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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467. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount allocated to animal welfare in each of the years 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38529/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine devotes significant resources to the area of animal welfare. The table below shows a detailed breakdown of funding provided from 2016-2020 across a number of measures.

As you are aware, each year I provide funding to registered animal welfare charities to support them in their activities. In December 2020, I announced record funding of €3.2 million to these bodies, and overall funding for the period 2016 – 2020 d amounts to €13.877 million. The Programme for Government includes an undertaking to increase the funding available to animal welfare organisations over the coming years in line with policy priorities outlined in Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025; I am fully committed to this undertaking.

Also included in the PFG is a commitment to provide for additional urban horse welfare programmes. The Department continues to support a number of urban horse projects nationwide, providing infrastructure and bringing education on all aspects of equine welfare to disadvantaged areas. In this regard, since 2016, funding of €1.418 million has been provided for a number of projects nationwide. Department officials work with and support local authorities and NGOs in progressing urban projects and there are currently projects at every stage from the initial feasibility and planning stages to the operating stage around the country. Separately, I awarded a tender to a provider of an education course for sulky users with a view to encouraging them off the public roads and on to regulated tracks. A number of courses took place in Dublin, Cork and Tipperary in 2018 and 2019 with expenditure amounting to €95,791. There is further scope to continue this initiative in 2021.

The Department provides funding to the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC), an advisory body to the Minister, comprised of representatives from the Department, animal welfare groups, farm organisations, Teagasc, veterinarians etc. The funding provided supports the work of FAWAC and the Sub-groups reporting to it including the Early Warning/Intervention System (EWS) group which identifies and deals with animal welfare problems before they become critical. Emergency funding is also provided on an annual basis to deal with emergency situations on farm, such as short term provision of fodder for animals that are experiencing welfare issues, seizures of welfare compromised animals etc.

The Department also provides significant funding to local authorities towards the expenses incurred by them in operation of the Control of Horses Act, 1996.The Act provides powers to local authorities enabling them to control stray and wandering horses in their areas.Funding of €2.14 million in total has been paid to local authorities throughout the country since 2016.