€800k of taxpayers’ cash spent on refugee pets is barking mad..

AFTER learning the Government blew more than €800,000 of taxpayers’ money on pets brought in by Ukrainian refugees, can the public be blamed for believing the country has gone to the dogs?

It is almost beyond belief that at a time when Irish families were being denied medical cards Ukrainian refugees and their animals were entitled to free medical and veterinary services as well as accommodation.

It’s even harder to believe that when there are hundreds of children waiting years for lifesaving surgery the Government prioritises the welfare of foreign animals.

When there are over 4,000 homeless children in the country, some for years in emergency accommodation, it’s beyond obscene that the State would splurge almost a quarter of a million euro on housing dogs and cats from abroad.

But it could have been a lot worse as it has also emerged the Government was willing to spend €5million to transport Ukrainian pets from their point of entry to accommodation facilities.

Those struggling to find a home for their children can only look on in envy at those who they are financing to import their animals when most landlords and housing managements won’t allow pets.

It’s one of those stories that at first you don’t want to believe is true but on realising it is you question if those running the country have completely lost touch with reality.

If the Government is wondering why there is a growing backlash against the numbers of refugees and asylum seekers coming here they need look no further than the Irish Mirror website. An exclusive story by Darragh Mcdonagh has revealed the Government spent more than €808,000 on transport and accommodation for the pets of Ukrainian refugees.

Of that, €248,200 was set aside for the provision of kennelling facilities for dogs and other animals coming from Ukraine.

Anyone who owns a pet knows it’s an expensive business yet even those on benefits or, like myself on a pension, are not entitled to claim for their animal’s veterinary expenses.

Yet Ukrainian refugees who are on the same level of benefits as Irish people have had their pets’ expenses covered by the State.

The Irish Mirror has revealed €559,932 was spent on accommodation, transport, veterinary bills and other costs relating to their pets.

But who can blame refugees for taking advantage of a Government that would appear to prioritise their welfare and that of their animals over Irish taxpayers?

Who would not grasp the opportunity to have their cat or dog’s veterinary expenses paid by the State? I certainly would but there’s fat chance of that.

The Government apparently realised it had bitten off more than it could chew and has done an embarrassing policy U-turn.

This means international protection applicants must now pay for their own animals’ upkeep. Imagine.

Contrast the above with the situation in Donegal where a key counselling service for children and young people faces

You question if those running the country have totally lost touch

closure next month due to a lack of funding from the State.

Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services said it will have no option other than to shut its doors from mid-march due to a lack of public funding for a full-time director of counselling.

The not-for-profit organisation has been operating on a shoestring since 2010 and has 120 people receiving counselling at any one time.

The issue was raised in the Dail recently by Sinn Fein finance spokesman and TD for the area Pearse Doherty who stressed that the organisation provides vital services and, should it close, 350 on its waiting lists will be left without support.

He added that some of those affected by the Creeslough explosion which claimed the lives of 10 people and left eight hospitalised are receiving counselling by the centre.

After the tragedy in October 2022 which involved the highest number of civilian casualties in the county in decades the Government promised all possible assistance would be made available.

Now they won’t even be able to avail of basic counselling services.

The sick irony is that shortly before the explosion the Government spent €248,200 for the provision of kennelling facilities for Ukrainian dogs and cats – a sum which now would be more than enough to keep the centre’s service going.

While the welfare of animals is important it would have been less expensive, and certainly less divisive, to contribute to charities looking after the welfare of animals in Ukraine.