Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I know, from my previous experience as a Minister, that the process in this regard can take some time. The 2009 results, which were published in 2010, show a total liability - between bank borrowings and the pension liability - of €16.8 million. The 2013 results show a total liability of €29 million. Bank borrowings increased from €13 million to €22 million in the period from 2009 to 2013. The real deterioration with regard to bank borrowings would have occurred in 2010 but the results for that year would not have been published until 2011. The people who would have been aware of this would have been those in government in the period from 2011 up to now. There has been a major problem in the past four years. Unlike Deputy Butler, I take a completely non-partisan view of this issue. When the Deputy becomes a Minister he will discover that one only gets the information when one gets it. In other words, Ministers only become aware of serious problems when they are presented with the accounts.

I take this opportunity to commend the current Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on what he did in the context of commissioning the report from Indecon. I am big enough to acknowledge it when a Government does take action. The report is timely, particularly in light of the great concern within the industry. I am not in the business of playing political games with this matter. I do not care who appointed whom or to what board. It does not make any difference to me. However, I am obliged to state that there has been a major failure in this instance and the Indecon report highlights that fact. The board does not have day-to-day responsibility but it does have overall responsibility. Financial losses are one thing but such losses allied to a total loss of faith in the integrity of the industry is something else entirely. The Indecon report clearly indicates that there is no faith in the integrity of the industry and highlights the fact that this has had a huge effect. Other industries which faced even bigger challenges since the downturn have not experienced the same level of difficulty as Bord na gCon.

The committee must take a serious view in respect of this matter and it is to be hoped that the Minister will do so too. Ultimately, the broom must be wielded and we must start again. The industry must regain its integrity and it must not only be completely cleaned up but this must also be seen to happen. From everything I have heard - which, unfortunately, has been confirmed in the report - the industry lacks credibility. Senator Ó Domhnaill put it very well when referring to what our British counterparts are saying about dogs coming from Ireland.

Like Deputy Martin Ferris, I wish only the best for the greyhound industry. I am aware of the importance of the Sportsground in Galway, not only as a venue for greyhound racing but also for rugby. I am not particularly into rugby but I am of the view that all sports and recreational activities should be encouraged. I am delighted that we have a good venue for rugby in the west, which was not the case previously. The concept of co-location is very welcome and I am sure it adds significantly to the viability of the greyhound track in Galway. However, a major problem continues to exist. I welcome the appointment of the new chief executive and the overhaul of the organisation. That said, the board remains very small - at six plus one members - and two of those involved on it have been there since before Ms Larking was appointed. It it time the Minister acted.