Animal welfare organisations across Cork have been given a welcome festive boost after it emerged they are to share in a more than €3 million funding windfall. Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue unveiled the €3.2m funding package, which will be divided between 101 animal welfare groups around the country. A dozen Cork-based organisations will between them receive payments totalling €450,000, with the largest single beneficiary being The Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll which was allocated €170,000. This follows on from the €155,000 grants received by the sanctuary from the Department last year. Since its foundation in 1987, the sanctuary has rescued and rehabilitated more than 5,600 neglected and abandoned donkeys and mules and cares for more than 1,800 animals at its Liscarroll base and at temporary shelters around the country.