Animal welfare officer post would cost council €150,000 per year

A BALLINA councillor has been informed that an animal welfare officer would cost Mayo County Council an additional €150,000 per annum.

Independent councillor Mark Duffy issued a notice of motion at the September meeting of Mayo County Council calling for the local authority to hire an animal welfare officer.

However, in a response to Cllr Duffy's motion, Jacqueline Brady of the Veterinary Department of Mayo County Council poured cold water over the prospect of the council creating a role for an animal welfare officer.

“While a local authority may employ an animal welfare officer, the local authority would have to fund this post from its own resources as no other funding stream is available for this.

“The only money available to Mayo County Council, in its current budget, is €35,000 which is used to provide funding for animal welfare organisations.

“The cost to the Council of directly employing an animal welfare officer to include payroll, travel and subsistence, accommodation overhead, vehicle and operational costs would be approximately €150,000 and is beyond our current budget capacity,” she wrote in her report to Cllr Duffy's notice of motion.

High profile case

THE call for a dedicated animal welfare officer came following the high profile case in Ballina during the summer when a dog was discovered burnt on waste ground in the town. At the time, the North West Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stated that there were a number of cases across the county of animal cruelty and neglect and recommended that a full-time animal welfare officer was needed in the county.

Ms Brady outlined that under Irish legislation responsibility for animal welfare rests with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. She stated that the ISPCA employs nine inspectors who are authorised officers under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and this enables them to provide the services of animal welfare throughout the State.

“These inspectors have provided services in Mayo from time to time,” she wrote.

“It should also be noted that members of An Garda Siochána are empowered under the legislation to deal with animal welfare issues and they do so on an ongoing basis.”