The Irish Council Against Bloodsports has expressed its “disgust” at large grants to fur farms in Co Donegal.
Two Irish fur farms have received over €200,000 in state funding.
Tazetta fur farm near Glenties has received at least six annual grants over the past decade from state body Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The grants were provided under employment and capital grant schemes.
The funding began in 2009 when the company received a €10,400 grant. The following year, Údarás na Gaeltachta allocated over €26,000 to the fur farm.
This was followed by €28,261 in 2014, €58,149 in 2015, €7,090 in 2016 and €3,560 in 2017. Figures for 2018 are not available.
In its lists of “enterprises which received grants”, Údarás outlines that the grants to Tazetta relate to “saothrú fionnaidh” (“cultivation of fur”).
Tazetta is one of Ireland’s three remaining fur farms where tens of thousands of mink are permanently caged and gassed to death with Carbon Monoxide at six months of age.
Another fur farm, Roxy Ltd – which is now closed down – received €82,123 from the taxpayer-funded Údarás na Gaeltachta as “grant assistance” for “feirmeoireacht mhinceanna” (mink farming).
The funding was approved by Udaras in 1984 (the year the fur farm was first licensed) and over the following two decades tens of thousands of pounds/euros were handed over to the fur farm, located in Killybegs.
A spokesperson for ICABS said “Shame on Údarás na Gaeltachta for disregarding the cruelty of fur farming and channelling funds into it.
“We are calling for an end to these grants and renewing our appeal to the government to respect the wishes of the vast majority and ban fur farming.”
ICABS say the majority in Ireland want fur farming ended, with a recent Red C opinion poll showing that 80 per cent of Irish adults are in favour of a ban.
Veterinary Ireland has joined the calls for a ban, condemning fur farming as cruel.
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