Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have been watching the proceedings on the monitor and as the person whose house is closest to a greyhound track, I welcome the members of the Irish Greyhound Board and commend them on the work they are doing. It is a challenging environment, whether as a trainer, an owner, a breeder or in management. I have found the chairman, Mr. Meaney, and the CEO, Ms Larkin, very interactive and very approachable. We may not agree on everything but I have never found them to be unavailable. We have had our debates about the changing of time in Cork and I hope they will go back to the old time. However, in regard to the new Cork track, the board is not afraid to try ideas and it is being innovative and open. That is not to say there is not disagreement with the owners, breeders and trainers but I believe it is about changing the model and the landscape of how we look at greyhound racing. If one has to try new models - the Senator spoke about going online - I have no difficulty with that if we can bring more people in. When the greyhound track moved from the Western Road venue to Curraheen Park, there was consternation but it has transformed racing in Cork and brought people into the greyhound industry.

We have to be innovative and creative in how standards can be improved, whether those standards are for greyhound welfare or for trainers and owners, and I am biased towards them. One of my criticisms of the board, and I am being parochial, is that there are not enough Cork people on it and we need to see that rectified. The greyhound industry is undergoing profound change. There are issues to be addressed, such as the provision of stadia and whether to sell the venues.

It behoves this committee to not just challenge the board but to work with it on all levels. To its credit I have found the board open to discussion but I appreciate Senator Landy's point that maybe we should be more open in dialogue and in how we interact. I wish to commend Mr. Phil Meaney and the board.