AQW 14279/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail (i) the amount of funding allocated to local councils' animal welfare departments, in each of the last five years; and (ii) the specific animal welfare training local council staff are given to undertake inspections of and issue licences for dog breeding establishments.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 2 September 2024
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 2 September 2024
- Answer due by
- 17 September 2024
- Answered
- 9 September 20247 days after tabling
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Local councils operate a collaborative, regional approach to deliver animal welfare enforcement services. Funding allocated for each of the five regions for the last five years is provided in the table below.
Local councils, as autonomous bodies, are responsible for the deployment, training and continuous professional development of their staff who undertake inspections and issue licences for dog breeding establishments; my Department has no role.
| 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | |
| Belfast Resource Capital | £144,860.40 | £152,171.15 | £133,382.96 | £221,221.84 £20,135.00 | £116,562.50 |
| Eastern Resource Capital | £220,304.53 £13,855.90 | £237,451.90 | £224,955.56 | £167,693.65 | £82,812.50 |
| Northern Resource Capital | £345,122.28 £17,561.98 | £294,332.51 | £357,056.41 | £387,261.26 £44,000.00 | £170,000.00 |
| Southern Resource Capital | £270,958.50 £17,000.00 | £222,354.27 | £260,138.68 | £280,114.81 | £96,000.00 |
| Western Resource Capital | £276,027.89 £17,905.00 | £285,537.02 | £317,518.96 | £316,996.30 | £159,625.00 |
| Total Resource Capital | £1,257,273.60 £66,322.88 | £1,191,846.85 | £1,293,052.57 | £1,373,287.86 £64,135.00 | £625,000.00 |