A total of 96 charities have filed for the 2026 Animal Welfare Grant Programme so far this year, according to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon.

He said: “The 2026 Animal Welfare Grant Programme process has now launched, and animal welfare charities that meet eligibility criteria have been invited to submit applications for funding. 

Clare Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe asked the minister if his department will provide a specialised financial scheme or emergency voucher initiative for private veterinary practices to offset the costs of treating and stabilising wild animal casualties.

Minister Heydon said: “There are currently no plans to introduce payments directly to private veterinary practitioners.”

Animal welfare

Minister Heydon described animal welfare as a “key priority” for his department, adding that “considerable funding is provided to support eligible animal welfare charities nationwide, through the annual Animal Welfare Grant Programme”.

He added: “In December 2025, I provided funding of almost €6.5 million to 94 animal welfare charities throughout the country including organisations involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife.

While Minister Heydon said that he anticipates that a new national animal welfare strategy will be published in the second half of the year, he had previously indicated in March that the strategy was due in the second quarter of 2026.

During last year, a process began to develop a new animal welfare strategy, which Minister Heydon said will act as a framework for engagement and collaboration to "direct future activities with the aim of benefiting both animals and Irish society".

According to the minister, development of that new strategy "is now well underway".