Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to declare that I am a director of a private greyhound track. As a result, I have a vested interest in this industry. I welcome the Bill, for which we have been waiting for a long time. The integrity of the industry has to be paramount. That means making sure it stands up to the highest scrutiny. This Bill goes a long way towards addressing many of the difficulties we have been experiencing. Many people have an image of a sport that involves dogs running with prohibited substances in their bloodstreams that either enhance or diminish performance. Some years ago, the board dealt with a high-profile case on Irish Greyhound Derby final night that fell into the latter category. If this Bill is enacted, it is absolutely essential that anyone who is found to be using a prohibited substance to enhance a greyhound's performance or to slow a greyhound down faces the full rigours of the law. It should be possible for such a person to be suspended and dealt with adequately, but that has not been the case up to now. This has damaged the industry and must be put right. From my perspective, it is one of the reasons this Bill needs to be brought through the Oireachtas as a matter of urgency. When it is passed, it is absolutely essential that it does what it says on the tin. When a greyhound fails a test after a race or at any time in its racing life - it could be in the kennels or wherever - the full rigours of the regulations must be brought to bear. I welcome the provisions in this legislation that deal with such those issues.

This Bill addresses dog welfare. It must be recognised that increasing amounts of money are being put into dog welfare by the board and by dog owners. A great deal of work is being done to rehome greyhounds after their racing lives have come to an end. This is becoming an priority for the industry. Deputy Penrose spoke about Dogs Trust Ireland. It is now a recognised fact that greyhounds make good pets. They are being exported to various countries around the world. Significant numbers of dogs are finding new homes.

I do not think the amendments that are before the committee can be enforced practically. We are making presumptions about the conditions in which dogs are kept in certain countries. It recently emerged that dogs were being held in very poor conditions on a puppy farm in this country. If people were to present such an isolated incident as an example of the way dogs are cared for in Ireland, it would be a very misrepresentative picture. The vast majority of dogs in this country, including greyhounds, are kept in very good conditions. I do not think we can make assumptions about other countries. The vast majority of our dogs are exported to the UK. When they have been exported, they are outside the jurisdiction of this State. I do not think it is practical to try to put restrictions on what the UK does. I do not think it can be done, at any rate, even before we have the problems of Brexit.

While I accept that these amendments are well-intentioned, this Bill goes a long way towards addressing welfare in the whole dogs industry and that has to be respected. This Bill focuses on the welfare of dogs. I think there is a recognition in the industry that in the past, the importance of welfare was probably not as high on the agenda as it should have been. That fact is well recognised now. If the industry is to try to drive on into the future, it must show that the welfare of greyhounds is one of its utmost priorities and it must ensure dogs are well cared for after they have finished racing or breeding. That is my view on these amendments.