Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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I have a question about the IRGT fund, which provides financial assistance to a number of private greyhound rehoming organisations, as well as doing its own direct rehoming. According to a response to a parliamentary question the Minister gave, this assistance is available to all such organisations upon application. It covers neutering, vaccination, dental costs and things like that. Any rehoming organisation can apply to the IRGT to rehome greyhounds. Does the Minister have concerns about a statement on the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation website that went up this month? It states the organisation strongly objects to the practice whereby owners are rehoming their greyhounds with anti-racing establishments. They strongly advise that no owner place his or her dog with any of those organisations. Some of the organisations that are currently getting funding through the IRGT have a stated policy that they do not support greyhound racing but they are rehoming the dogs. As the IRGT has a four to five-month waiting list, it is deeply concerning that the Irish greyhound owners and breeders organisations are advising their members to not rehome dogs with organisations because of their position on racing.