Ms Una Jansen:

I would like to address Deputy Cahill's point on drugging. Until very recently, the Irish Greyhound Board did not have laboratories that were able to test properly for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid commonly used in greyhound racing. Up until this year, the board was only able to test for the presence of a water-based dose in a urine sample. As all greyhound trainers and owners are aware, that steroid does not show up in those tests. It can only be identified in a blood test for an oil-based dose. As the greyhound industry laboratories were not able to test properly for this drug, we did not have accurate figures for its use. Last year, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain issued a statement to its members advising them to exercise extreme caution in buying dogs from Ireland because of the endemic use of this anabolic steroid. Additionally, as is documented in appendix 2 of our written submission, there have been several cases of greyhound trainers and owners, some of whom are extremely high profile, having judgments passed against them for drug use by the disciplinary committee of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Until we have laboratories here that can test properly for drugs, we will not accurately know how deep the problem is. We are hearing from greyhound trainers and owners all the time that drug use is endemic in the sport.

I agree with Deputy Cahill's comments on greyhound welfare. Some greyhound owners and trainers treat their dogs extremely well. However, we do have a huge issue of dogs disappearing. Until we have a traceability system in place, we cannot accurately say that welfare is good. While I do not dispute the fact that there are good greyhound owners, we also know that people are getting rid of dogs by shooting them or using bolt guns or are selling them into countries in which adequate welfare legislation is not in place. We need to stamp out these practices in greyhound racing.