Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Since we took over, we have put new people on the board. The term of others is coming to an end and we will be looking at that. At all times, we are putting people with the skills to which Indecon referred on the board. We have appointed an accountant and a vet who is one of the top specialists in the country. I cannot express what an advantage that vet has been to the board. There is an ongoing process of improving the board and the people around it.

I acknowledge that there is worry, but it is a broad statement to say a dog was worth €3,000 last year, but only €800 this week. That happens. It is real life. One could also have a dog that was bought this week for €100 that would be worth €3,000 in six months. That is the commercial life of dog breeding. Prices go up and down. If one has a good dog and he wins, one will make a fortune. If one has a poor dog, one will not make any money. That is real life in the greyhound industry. The truth of the matter is that the sales graphs show prices are increasing. Last week, 100 dogs were sold in Thurles and the graph shows the prices had gone up. It is not fair, therefore, to pick out one case in Wexford. If the Deputy meets people throughout the country, as I do, he will have a general view of what is happening in the broader industry and will not come to the House with individual cases. I ask the Deputy to do that. He should meet the people on the ground in Tipperary and throughout the country who are breeding dogs. They will tell him.

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