The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Pippa Hackett has said that Ireland needs to increase its focus on animal welfare.
Ireland’s first Animal Welfare Awareness Day (Tuesday, December 15) was marked with the announcement of €3.7 million in funding to almost 100 animal welfare organisations around the country.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said that the allocation for the organisations was evidence of the government’s ongoing commitment to animal welfare.
Hackett
The Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett has welcomed the the funding and the first Animal Welfare Awareness Day.
“This government is allocating €3.7million to 98 animal welfare organisations nationwide. Clearly, there is a need for their services, so we have to continue putting out the message – animals deserve proper care.”
“We need to increase our focus on the welfare of animals in this country,” Hackett said.
Minister Hackett outlined the progress that she feels has been made in the area of animal welfare over the past year:
“The ban on fur farming in Ireland, something the Green Party has fought long and hard for, is now making its way through the Oireachtas, and will be in place early next year.
“Ireland’s first Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025 was published in February and a dedicated animal welfare division is in place in my department since March.
“We have introduced the first ever annual equine census in Ireland. This will assist us to ensure better welfare for equines across the country,” she said.
The minister noted that the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council (FAWAC) has been re-launched and a new advisory council on companion animal welfare has been established.
Hackett said she is “happy” that progress is being made on animal welfare under this government, but added that there are “many other aspects still to address”.