Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the two organisations before the committee. I thank them for their presentations and commend them for their outstanding work throughout the country. The ISPCA in its submission and comments stated it is not in favour of criminal sanctions. When we went through the heads of the Bill at previous meetings we focused on the administrative burden of criminal sanctions, and how these would work and operate was on the Department's mind. I would like to hear the thoughts of the witnesses on this. It is why the heads of the Bill are going down this particular route.

In its submission, the ISPCA stated the number of greyhounds born in the UK has dropped from 10,000 to 1,000, with 95% going on to race. This is a very high percentage. Dogs Trust, in its presentation, outlined how 16,000 greyhounds were born in the Republic in 2015. What are the thoughts of the witnesses on how this has come about and why there is such a difference between the two countries?

With regard to the welfare Bill on the export of greyhounds put forward by the Dogs Trust, it has had engagement with the international greyhound sector. Has it had meetings with domestic greyhound organisations and, if so, how have they reacted to the proposals?