Government announce €3million worth of funding for Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park

Staff at Dublin Zoo made an impassioned plea for help earlier last month. Government has today announced a huge monetary boost for Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park, confirming that €3million worth of funding will be made available to be split between the two centres. This comes after staff at Dublin Zoo revealed the popular tourist attraction would be at risk of permanent closure without urgent help. Previously saying that ministers would do all they could to provide the necessary supports, government has since made good on that promise - allocating €2million to Dublin Zoo and a further €1million to Fota Wildlife Park. Already amassing a huge bank of donations thanks to public generosity, the additional money will be used to finish off capital projects already underway at the facilities. Thanking the Office of Public Works (OPW) for their support, Dublin Zoo director Dr Christoph Schwitzer told RTÉ: "I would like to thank Minister O'Donovan and the OPW for making this funding available, after what has been a challenging year for Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park due to Covid-19. "This essential financial support will allow us to re-commence vital work on capital projects, including the construction of world-class habitats for some of our most endangered species." Outlining a number of different ways in which people can continue showing their support,  you can help out by donating, adopting an animal or by organising your own fundraising event - with every cent raised going towards caring for some of the many animals that call Dublin Zoo home.

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