Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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2019. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of ex-gratia funding for animal welfare organisations allocated in 2020, 2021 and 2022; if the allocation of €3.7 million allocated in December 2021 meets the Programme for Government commitment to double the 2020 allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2473/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government commitment to double the funding allocated to animal welfare organisations over a two-year period was based on the 2020 budget allocation of €2.435m. Savings elsewhere in my Department's vote contributed to the eventual awarding of €3.2 million to 101 organisations in 2020.

In December 2021, I announced the record allocation of over €3.7 million in grants to 98 animal welfare charities throughout the country.  In line with the Programme for Government commitment, this was the largest award of grant funding to animal welfare bodies ever made by my Department.

It remains my intention to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to award funding that will double the 2020 €2.435 budget allocation subject to my Department's policy objectives and financial resources available.  

The attached spreadsheet provides information on awards granted to the individual animal welfare organisations for the years in question.

">Animal Welfare Grants