Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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231. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he currently has concerns about the numbers of horses being kept in urban areas, housing estates and public open spaces; if he has any plans to improve the management of such situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16135/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The welfare of equines is protected by legislation and appropriate enforcement action is undertaken by my Department and authorised officers under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, including An Garda Síochána, Customs agents, authorised officers appointed by local authorities, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) and the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), where breaches or shortcomings are identified. Any reports of welfare issues received by my Department, including breaches of the animal welfare legislation, are acted upon and investigated.

I am fully committed to supporting sustainable initiatives in line with the Programme for Government and Working Together for Animal Welfare, Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. As part of this commitment, I continue to support urban horse projects nationwide, working with local authorities, charities and community stakeholders. These projects have proven very successful and are aimed specifically at equine welfare and marginalised communities. The projects can foster community leadership and education in responsible horse ownership for young people.

The Urban Horse projects greatly benefit the welfare of equines and of young people from disadvantaged communities or backgrounds. There are currently eight live projects and in October 2023, my Department hosted a seminar dedicated to the promotion of the urban horse projects. From 2015 to date, over €2 million has been spent on urban horse projects by my Department, with €150,000 allocated for these projects, in 2025.

Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities may take a range of actions in relation to equines including prohibiting horses in certain areas, the issuing of licences and the seizure of horses in contravention of the Act. These powers can be used in respect of straying horses, which includes horses put on land without the owner’s permission, including public land. My Department provides financial support to help local authorities with the operation of the Act. Local authorities may also prosecute offenders.

My Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal cruelty or neglect for investigation.

The dedicated e-mail address and helpline in place for reporting suspected cases of animal welfare are:

Helpline Phone No: 01 607 2379.

Email address - animalwelfare@agriculture.gov.ie