Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider increasing the allocation for an organisation (details supplied) under the animal welfare grant programme proportionate to the workload and costs the organisation incurs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54714/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Animal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government.

Each year my Department invites eligible animal welfare charities to submit a funding application through the Animal Welfare Grants Programme. To qualify, applicants must meet specified requirements, which are made available through the application process. Awards are made on the basis of objective criteria, which are reviewed on an annual basis.

Animal Welfare Grants are paid under the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Circular 13 of 2014. All applicants must adhere to the terms and conditions of the Animal Welfare Grants Programme and must provide a Certificate of Assurance certifying that the public money granted was used in accordance with the terms and conditions of the grant funding. The Terms and Conditions of grant funding are available on my Department's website and are reviewed annually.

Last year €6 million of funding was provided to 101 animal welfare charities nationwide, including the organisation in question, through the animal welfare grant programme. These awards also support the provision of education and knowledge sharing to the public on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, helping to raise animal welfare standards.

The 2025 Animal Welfare grants process is underway, with applications currently under assessment by my Department, and I expect to announce the results of the application process later this year.