Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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838. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding made available to Tipperary County Council for equine related matters including control of horses and training courses by year since 2016. [11261/22]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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839. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding allocated to equine welfare in County Tipperary by year since 2016. [11262/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 838 and 839 together.

The Control of Horses Act 1996 provides powers to local authorities enabling them to control stray and wandering horses in their areas.  Section 15 of the Act provides that the Minister for Agriculture may make grants towards the expenses of a local authority incurred under the Act.  In  this regard my Department has provided funding to Tipperary County Council as follows :-

In addition in 2018, DAFM awarded a tender to a provider of an education course with a view to encouraging sulky users off the roads and on to regulated tracks.  Courses took place in Dublin, Cork and Tipperary the total funding for these courses amounted to €49,145.

The Programme for Government  includes a commitment to  provide  increased funding for animal welfare charities.  In line with this, last December, I awarded record funding of over €3.7 million to 98 animal welfare charities  countrywide, many of which are engaged in equine welfare activities. The funding to date provided to Tipperary is as follows:-

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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840. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of authorised officers responsible for horse welfare in County Tipperary in each year since 2016. [11263/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The control of wandering, stray and nuisance horses is provided for by the Control of Horses Act 1996. This Act empowers local authorities to control such horses on public or private lands in their geographical areas of responsibility.  

Enforcement of the Act is a matter for the local authority in question, which has powers under the Act to appoint authorised persons within their area.  I have no function in relation to staffing matters pertaining to local authorities.

My Department provides financial assistance to the authorities for implementation of the Act and is available to support initiatives by local authorities that address problems associated with straying or urban horses.  

The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 provides, inter alia, for the enforcement of measures to prevent and address specific acts of cruelty to animals. My Department's veterinary inspectors, technical agricultural officers, the Gardaí and certain officers of the ISPCA and DSPCA are authorised to implement the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. The manager of a local authority may also appoint authorised officers under this Act. 

My Department, for its part, has 26 officers authorised under the Animal Health and Welfare Act based in the Tipperary Regional Veterinary Office who have functions in respect of a wide range of animal health and welfare matters.

Members of the public with concerns about the welfare of an animal can contact my Department through the Animal Welfare Helpline on: Call save: 0761 064408; Phone: 01 6072379. All calls are followed up as appropriate.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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841. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of engagement his Department has had with landowners or persons responsible for land in County Tipperary on whose land instances of stray or abandoned horses has been reported each year since 2016; the number of reports of such instances in County Tipperary; and the actions that were taken. [11264/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The matter of the control of straying and abandoned horses falls under the Control of Horses Act 1996, the implementation of which falls under the responsibility of the Local Authorities. The local authority is the appropriate authority to which landowners or persons should engage on such issues.

The Control of Horses Act 1996 provides powers to local authorities enabling them to control stray and wandering horses  on public or private lands in their areas.  My Department provides financial funding to each local Authority to support their enforcement work. My Department's staff actively engage with Tipperary County Council and other stakeholders to safeguard animal welfare using a collaborative approach. 

Separately, my Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of suspected animal cruelty or neglect. The table below sets out the number of calls received from 2016-2021 which related to equines in the Tipperary area. Such reports of suspected abuse are referred to Department veterinary staff in the Regional Veterinary Offices for follow-up and appropriate actions as necessary.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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842. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of equine welfare and urban horse projects funded by his Department each year since 2016. [11265/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is fully committed to supporting sustainable, One Health, One Welfare initiatives in line with the Programme for Government and Working Together for Animal Welfare, Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025.

In this regard, my officials work with and support local authorities and NGOs in progressing urban horse projects and there are currently projects at every stage, from the initial feasibility and planning stages to the operating stage around the country.

From 2016 to date, a total of 14 projects have been funded with financial support amounting to €1,555,397.92