Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

This Bill is to be welcomed as an attempt to restore, or perhaps give, a good name to the greyhound industry, which has been dogged by controversy for some time.

Greater transparency in drug testing has been demanded and with the ongoing turbulence in Bord na gCon, it is past time for a separate, independent doping and appeals agency if the testing procedures are to have any credibility. The abuse of greyhounds by the administration of performance-enhancing drugs in unsporting and detrimental to the industry, which is popular with many people. For a night out at the greyhound track, one must book well in advance. There is an onus on us to do something about that. Unfortunately, a number of the top owners have come under suspicion of having their greyhounds doped. There have been many unexplained deaths of top greyhounds that can only be associated with doping. Race fixing involving doping is said to be rife and is unfair to punters. In many cases, it can be lethal to the dogs. The drug most associated with it is EPO, which presents a serious temptation because owners can gain a number of lengths advantage for their dogs by administering it to them. Performance-enhancing drugs are not the only drugs given. Dogs are often blocked and this must be examined. It may be equally difficult to pick up. The result is that when a dog enters a race, it has a number of lengths in hand. Those issues must be addressed.

Bord na gCon had a policy of naming and shaming corrupt individuals in the weekly sporting press published by the Irish Coursing Club. After 2003, it altered this practice and distinguished between those who dope dogs and those who bring the sport into disrepute. I would like to know what is the difference. Where gambling is involved, people are tempted to cheat.

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