Departmental Funding

Tuesday, 28 April 2026

Questions (880)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

880. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the audit threshold for accounts remains at €100,000 within his Department, despite the official audit exemption threshold being increased to €250,000 in 2025; if he is aware that this discrepancy, coupled with the high cost of audits-estimated at €5,000-is deterring small-scale animal welfare charities from seeking funding when their income only marginally exceeds the lower limit; the reason for the 30 August 2026 submission deadline for accounts when Revenue allows for a longer period until at least 30 September 2026; if he will align these requirements with Revenue and company law standards to reduce the administrative and financial burden on the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29964/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Animal welfare is a key priority for me, as Minister, and for the Government. The Animal Welfare Grants Programme provides considerable support for animal welfare charities to assist them in their vital work in rescuing and re-homing animals, with funding of almost €6.5 million awarded to 94 animal welfare charities throughout the country, in 2025. The applications process is robust and comprehensive, requiring applicants to provide information on their activities, including reporting specific data and metrics requested as part of the process.

Animal Welfare Grants are paid under the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) Circular 13 of 2014. All applicants to the animal welfare grants programme must adhere to the associated terms and conditions, which are available on my Department's website and are reviewed annually. Currently the terms and conditions require charities with an income of over €100,000 to submit audited accounts which must be signed and dated by the auditor and also require applicants to meet required deadlines. Regarding the deadline for submission of accounts, applicant organisations can have varied end of year dates for their accounts and as in previous years, any charity that cannot submit supporting documentation by the deadline, can request an extension to the timeline, and my Department will deal with such requests on a case by case basis.