Northern Ireland councils are to continue with a judicial review into a Stormont decision to withdraw funding for animal welfare, despite an offer of a one-off payment from the Environment Minister.
The new DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has not backed down on the permanent cut, but has offered a one-off back-payment of half of the money, £625,000, that were due to councils for 2023-24. Despite the offer, the matter of animal welfare funding support for councils will still proceed to full judicial review hearing later in the year.
“This meant that there was no funding available to local councils to support this service for the last financial year. This remains the position of the Department and in the absence of any additional future funding from the Northern Ireland Executive to support you in delivering this service I do not anticipate, at this juncture, that finance will be available in future years.”
Green Councillor Barry McKee said: “It is great to see we are going to get some money we were obviously promised previously, that is welcome. But for too long this council and others have been hampered in our endeavours to improve animal welfare provision. DUP Alderman Naomi Arnstrong-Cotter said: “We welcome the money - thank you very much. But this is not and should not be the end of it. is a disgrace, and should be challenged at a higher level.”