Mr. Denis Healy:

I take issue with the statement made by Deputy O'Sullivan that we have done little or nothing to enforce the existing regulations. In 2018 alone, 491 inspections were carried out in establishments where there were greyhounds. We have reports on each inspection. Where issues arose with the inspections, notices were served on people to improve conditions and where people failed to provide information they were also served with notices. Fixed penalty notices were also issued. At every racetrack, each night there is racing there could be ten races each night and 60 greyhounds racing. Each dog is weighed in and inspected by control stewards who are involved in animal welfare. There is a regulation whereby if a dog has lost or gained 3 lbs then questions are asked. If a greyhound is presented that is not fit for racing according to the view of the control steward, the veterinary surgeon who is on duty on the night is asked to examine the dog and it is not allowed to race. There is great oversight. If there are ten races then there are 60 examinations on a night. Like Mr. Nyhan, I will not comment on the specific case, which is ongoing.

As regards investigations of greyhounds going to Macau, I am only a year and three quarters in the system - I accept that is no excuse not to have an answer - but where information was received according to the Department's regulation, we followed it up to see if the dogs originated in Ireland and we interviewed people but we can only go so far. In fact, where the dogs are exported beyond the 12-month period, we are statute barred from doing anything. That said, the Deputy alluded to the export of greyhounds from Cork to China and them being stopped at Heathrow Airport. The export of any greyhounds out of this country is under the control of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. We are not shirking our responsibility, but the Department carries out the examination and issues the certificates. Exports take place under its remit and if there are reasons, it can prevent exports. I am only a year and a half in the job but I know that the person who transported the dogs was brought before the head of regulation and was interviewed. I interviewed him personally. There was no legislative provision that would allow us to prosecute. There are conditions on his licence and he has been warned. He stated that it will never happen again. We did not do anything, but we did what we could within the regulations.

As regards the low volume of substances found, the laboratory in Limerick is accredited to international standards by the Irish National Accreditation Board. I will not call it a new machine because it is there since 2017. A total of €400,000 was spent on it. The machine is now capable of analysing to parts per trillion. We are a semi-State body and we are bound by national legislation. Under current legislation, if there is an adverse finding regarding a substance the control committee, which is an independent body, will decide whether the substance was performance enhancing or inhibiting at the level it was found. It is not just a case of finding a substance. The system might operate slightly differently in other jurisdictions, but that is how we operate under current legislation.

We are working with international bodies. The board has agreed with Australian greyhound racing authorities to partake in scientific trials on substances in order to be able to say that substances have a pharmacological effect at certain levels. We will be able to agree international standards. We are also going to have a similar agreement with the UK. When the agreement was put in place with the Australians, we agreed that not alone would the trials be on medicines, anti-doping and substances that affect performances but we would also look at welfare standards. That will be progress.

Regarding the low level of substances found, the equipment is capable of screening for tens of thousands of substances and, without labouring the point, many of the substances found are what we all take, namely, paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and ketoprofen. These are common or garden therapeutic medicines. Flunixin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. All but Flunixin are licensed as painkillers and anti-inflammatories for the treatment of greyhounds, or any dog that requires treatment, but they cannot be used on greyhounds close to a race. If we find them above certain levels, the cases are referred to the control committee for it to make the final decision.