Mr. Phil Meaney:

I thank the Chairman. The Irish Greyhound Board, IGB, Bord na gCon, is pleased to meet the committee today as part of the process of pre-legislative scrutiny of the Greyhound Industry Bill 2017. We welcome the fact a new industry Bill is under discussion. With the best will in the world, I do not believe any Bill enacted in 1958 can be fit for purpose. The work of the Bill is timely as it coincides with significant work which has been and is being undertaken by members of the board who have successful backgrounds in finance, regulation, veterinary medicine and law. The executive and all the directors will continue to work as hard as they can to oversee this important industry.

We face a huge task not only to change the business model for the industry radically but also to manage extremely high levels of inherited debt that have inhibited the IGB’s capacity to implement many of the things it would wish to do. We are confident that the proposed sale of the stadium at Harold’s Cross will be a seminal moment for the IGB. It will allow investment in the industry on a phased and planned basis for the first time in many years for the benefit of all stakeholders. The greyhound industry has an important economic dimension and employs several thousand people, both directly and indirectly. The industry and sport are part of the national fabric, with a presence in virtually every county in the country. The Irish Greyhound Board licenses a total of 16 tracks, of which it owns nine. Seven tracks are privately owned and race under licence from the IGB.

It is true to say that the Indecon report published in 2014 has provided a pathway for the strategic direction of the industry which it was commissioned to examine in great detail. Indecon outlined 27 recommendations on regulation, governance, animal welfare and finance. We have implemented all the recommendations, save those that require the changes to primary legislation recommended in this Bill.

We have made significant progress in aligning with best international practice and the highest standards of compliance in racing regulation and integrity. I believe the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will confirm that the current board and executive have been very active in advocating change to the regulatory parameters within which we operate. The whole area of regulation and integrity is not a static space. It is fast evolving and all sports face challenges in this area. We are not the slightest bit sanguine about this, but I think that any fair assessment of the changes to regulations and other measures which are outlined in the brief sent to the committee ahead of this meeting would demonstrate that the Irish Greyhound Board is actively engaged in these areas and that a huge amount of work has been undertaken.

To support us in our work, the IGB has established a scientific committee on doping and medication control. Its task is to advise the IGB on scientific matters relating to doping and medication control in greyhounds on an ongoing basis. Bord na gCon has led the establishment of an operational regulatory stakeholder group on the management of intelligence and drugs action in sports to share best practice on rules, research and intelligence, in so far as is permitted within existing legislation. In this we work with Horse Racing Ireland, the Turf Club, the Irish Coursing Club, Sport Ireland, Horse Sport Ireland and the special investigations unit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

On animal welfare, I am sure we will have some opportunity to discuss the IGB’s proposal to develop a systematic and robust traceability system for track greyhounds, such as exists for bovine animals. This would enable the board to improve the welfare of greyhounds in general through better monitoring of life events, in particular life events for greyhounds that have finished their racing careers. Notwithstanding the fact the quality of care of greyhounds provided by owners and trainers is very high and should not be judged by the exceptions, a new traceability system would ensure better accountability by greyhound owners for greyhound welfare as well as giving the IGB the tools to identify problem areas and to impose sanctions based on empirical evidence.

Many parts of the draft Bill are technical and legal in nature and I cannot claim to be an expert in the matters to which they relate. However, I am happy to refer questions in that regard to other members of our group, including: Mr. Frank Nyhan and Dr. Colm Gaynor, two of our board members; our head of regulation, Mr. Pat Herbert; welfare manager, Mr. Barry Coleman; and our head of wagering, Mr. Joe Lewins. I am pleased that our interim chief executive, Dr. Seán Brady, is with us to offer the committee any assistance he can.