Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
687. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any of the €4 million in equine funding awarded to charities involved in the care and welfare of horses is specifically earmarked for the seizure or rehabilitation of horses involved in illegal road racing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16290/26]
View answerAnimal welfare is a key priority for me as Minister and for the Government. Considerable funding is provided to support, eligible, animal welfare charities, nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme, which is administered by my Department.
Each year my Department invites eligible animal welfare charities to submit a funding application, under the Animal Welfare Grants Programme. To qualify, applicants must meet specified requirements, which are made available through the application process. The application process is robust and comprehensive. Applicants are asked to provide information on their activities, including reporting specific data and metrics, requested as part of the process, with successful applicants allocated funding on the basis of objective criteria which are reviewed on an annual basis.
The awards support a wide range of criteria including the numbers of animals assisted, re-homing figures, the provision of education and knowledge sharing to the public on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, helping to raise animal welfare standards. Veterinary inspection results are also taken into consideration when grant amounts are determined.
In December 2025, I provided funding of almost €6.5 million to 94 animal welfare charities throughout the country, of that figure, just over €4 million was awarded to charities involved in the general care and welfare of horses. My Department has no involvement in the day to day running of these charities. However, funding is provided for the direct benefit of animals and to aid the stated activities of the charities, which are provided through the application process.
