€1.2m in grants awarded to animal care and welfare groups

GRANTS totalling €1.2 million have been awarded to 86 organisations involved in the delivery of animal care and welfare services to assist in their work during 2006.

Minister of State John Browne, who announced the allocations, said it was the largest disbursement and assists the greatest number of animal welfare organisations in any year since the Department of Agriculture and Food first made ex-gratia payments in 1995.

It brings the total amount of assistance provided by the department to organisations since then to almost €6m.

He said these largely voluntary bodies do excellent work throughout the country in delivering animal care and welfare services.

Mr Browne appealed to people to act responsibly and with foresight in relation to giving pets as Christmas presents and to heed the good advice given by animal welfare organisations in this regard.

Following a vote at the EU beef management committee in Brussels yesterday, the European Commission announced that it will adopt a regulation to eliminate export refunds for live cattle for slaughter.