Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the committee members for their constructive contributions. There is a common theme through much of what they have said. The board will be in later today and maybe the specifics should be kept for the board members. I will address a few general things about funding.

Senator Ó Domhnaill asked if the taxpayer will continue to support the industry. We have to remember that this is a hugely important industry, not only for Shelbourne Park or Harold's Cross in Dublin but right across the country. Deputy Ferris alluded to its impact in County Kerry. There are a lot of greyhounds there, particularly in north Kerry.

I was not in office six months when I requested that the Department get Indecon to look at the area. I was born and bred in a part of the country where a lot of the dogs are. I know the impact and have listened to the difficulties. I was an hour in the job and the first phone call I got was from a greyhound person who wanted me to do something about the industry. I thought long and hard about it and put a process in place. Indecon delivered a very professional report.

It is great to have the opportunity to discuss the detail of its implementation today. As I said, it takes time to implement all the recommendations. Someone asked about the timeline for doing this. Some of the recommendations have been implemented and more are in process. All are being dealt with by the board. The board accepted the report, as did I and we moved on from there. That is why we were able to go to the Government in a time of difficult economic circumstances and look for extra money. We put the case that the issues with the overhanging debt were being dealt with and they were dealt with in the report. That is why the funding was given and will be given into the future.

Senator Landy asked about the prize money and the funding. The case we made to the Department of Finance was that it should be given back to the greyhound trainers, owners and breeders. In fairness to Bord na gCon, before we got last week's funding, it already had a breeders' incentive scheme at consultation level. That will be in place from next year, as Deputy Butler mentioned. The increase in the prize funding is to sustain these people. There is no doubt that they are losing money and that whole financial area needs to be regulated.

On the sale of Harold's Cross and the assets, the debt, which is at €22 million, is not sustainable into the future. To keep paying that debt means taking the interest that should be going to the breeders and people on the ground, who Deputy Ferris talked about and who are suffering hardship. We have to try to support them.

When Indecon looked at the issue, the asset that could be disposed of was Harold's Cross. That is the procedure that is in place. I do not know yet whether planning permission can be obtained and await the board's work in progress on that. There is no point in selling it for €2 million or €3 million. However, if it comes to a situation where it is worth €10 million or €12 million, that would cut the debt in half and put the industry in a good place into the future. That would be a sensible thing to do. We await the outcome of that process.

Several people have said to me "you cannot sell Harold's Cross" and I have asked them to give me an alternative. I am still waiting for that alternative two years later and it has not come. If there was an alternative the sale might not have to happen. The fact of the matter is that the board's debt is not sustainable into the future. I certainly do not see any other asset disposal. There are two stadiums in Dublin. The horse industry had three racecourses some years ago and today it has one very good stadium which is attracting huge numbers of people. There is an argument for going with that model and doing the same thing with Shelbourne Park.

Communications and consulting with the greyhound owners and breeders have occupied a huge amount of time for me. Senator Landy, in particular, has on many occasions requested meetings - as have others in this room - with the greyhound owners and breeders in their different branches around the country. I would love to see a united voice from the greyhound industry but I have not got it.

At the last meeting Senator Landy organised, I said I would love to set up a communications structure on a three or four-monthly basis to give out the information. There are different viewpoints. People in the greyhound business are very divided. Let us call a spade a spade. People will say one thing in my ear at the dogs in Limerick and in the other ear I will hear something different from somebody else. That is what I hear all the time. If we had a coherent voice and a structure in place, we would be able to work through it. That would be really good for the industry.

Members asked about when the legislation is coming; the control committee; and the vision between the board and the control committee. I understand from officials that it is taking a while, but the heads of the Bill should be published before Christmas. It will then take on a life of its own, as members know, as it will have to go on to Second Stage. I hope it will happen as soon as possible. We need to get new skills onto the board and to extend the size of the board.

The recommendation of Indecon is to have the control committee completely separate and nominated by me or by the Minister. I would return to Deputy Ferris's comment that it is essential for its members to be specialists in the area. That is the proposal we have. When we bring in that legislation, whatever happens we want to make it effective and totally independent. The real problem is that it is not seen as being independent.

It is stand-alone and totally independent even if that requires further regulation in the future, and it may well do so. People have asked me to set up a new structure, but that is a costly way of going about it. We will see that as we move forward.

It is very important in general. We have all come through a desperately difficult period of time. Referring back to the communications and the people involved, I am anxious to make that work much better. Regarding the drugs issue and the allegations I hear from time to time about various people, we must be as transparent and open as possible. I have communicated that to the board. I wish to work with the board. One of the members, probably Senator Ó Domhnaill, asked if there is much co-operation between the Department and the board. There is, and that continues. It is important that there is more co-operation into the future. The board members meet on a regular basis and I attend as many as I can. In fact, once a year I try to attend a board meeting to listen to what the board has to say, sit in on some of its decisions and give my input on what I would want from the industry. All of that structure is there for better communications and to build the industry. Undoubtedly, there are challenges and all of the members have acknowledged that. They can talk to the board members about those challenges and the way they are implemented when they appear before the committee later.

We must work together for this industry. The opportunities that exist are huge. Last Saturday night at Limerick track there was a GAA club there from County Clare. Next week or the week after there is an event in Limerick from County Tipperary. Three weeks ago I attended one in Thurles. One could hardly move because it was jammed with young people. It was a fund-raiser for the late Eddie Connolly. These are fantastic events. The potential is enormous, but it is being left behind due to other issues. All in all, Indecon has provided us with a roadmap. We as legislators can change, and we want to change the openness. I would like to work more with the committee to try to improve this. The committee has a role to play because of its input, such as through the contributions today, regarding improving the communications. There is a great opportunity for the future.