Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. May for her report. As Senator Mac Lochlainn said, the issues I wish to raise have been covered in the course of the meeting. How proficient or efficient as a body is Sport Ireland, or are we, as a society, staying ahead of the posse? The point is often made that the science brains of the world are on the other side of the fence in this regard, continually trying to stay ahead of the tests, avoiding traceability and developing new products. How efficient or proficient does Dr. May believe her side of the fence is in detecting new products? We have seen in human sport the history of cycling over the past 20 years. The scientists and doctors on the cycling side as opposed to the anti-doping side were way ahead of their counterparts. Where does Dr May feel we are on this issue? There is a list of products, which everybody knows and which are easy to identify, but it is a moving pitch and new products are always being developed by those people who benefit most from them, in black-market scenarios all of the time. How efficient or proficient is Sport Ireland with regard to the traceability of new elements? How proficient or efficient does Dr. May believe legislators are in providing her with the legislation she requires if and when such situations arise? Is there a protocol when new stimulants or drugs are identified? Related to this, are the lines of communication to all sectors efficient enough, and to greyhound racing in particular as this is the sector we are discussing, with regard to informing them of developments and changes in Sport Ireland's attitude towards substances on an ongoing basis?