Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The small greyhound owner and the small horse trainer I knew as a buchaill óg were the backbone of rural communities. I listened to the comments of Teachtaí Maureen O'Sullivan and Clare Daly. I have asked them countless times to come and see what really happens in Clonmel at our national coursing meeting but, of course, they have always refused. They are entitled to their points of view, but there are none so blind as those who will not see. The small greyhound owner and the small horse trainer were the backbone of the industry but not any more, unfortunately. The small bookmakers must be supported. Everything in this country has become subject to the idea that big is powerful and wonderful and to hell with the small people. This has got us where we are. We have little control over industries, jobs and much else. Jobs figures were quoted. There once were jobs in this industry, but whether they still exist I do not know. We need a proper holistic evaluation of where we are going. We do not need CEOs on €250,000 per year in either association or €84 million for HRI and €16 million for the greyhound industry.

A documentary was aired on RTE last week which I believe is quite damning. Philip Boucher-Hayes said in the documentary that the management of the Irish Coursing Club would not appear in the documentary to be interviewed. It had a right to appear in it and be interviewed and defend the industry and the good people in it. There is no place for the rogues, blackguards and vagabonds that destroy the industry. There is no place for rogue exports of greyhounds such as those spoken about by Deputies O'Sullivan and Daly. These must be weeded out and sorted out because they will destroy our industry.

We have fabulous grounds in Waterford, Clonmel and Thurles which can be used for many other social events, such as hospice and schools fundraising and so on. There is a huge industry around the people involved. Everyone I meet who has a greyhound says he or she must have a little trailer and a kennel. Everyone who owns a pony for hunting must have a horsebox, veterinary aids and tack. We cannot be like Sinn Féin and just deny that this is happening at all. Our own people create this industry. It is the big part of the industry I have many issues with. I also have many issues with what is happening in the horse racing industry. Conglomerates such as the one in my area have done great work and are recognised all over the world for their prowess in the racing industry. However, why do they need Government support and the generous tax regime Charlie Haughey introduced in his day to stimulate the industry when they can buy up every parcel of land that comes up for sale in Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Cork, Kilkenny, Kildare and beyond? They are not leaving a living for anybody else. We cannot support an industry that takes the lifeblood out of our communities, which is what is happening in the bloodstock industry. The same is happening in other parts of the country. I have called for legislation in this regard. The Minister of State spoke about legislation due next year. I ask him to consider this issue in the legislation. He has failed to do so in the Finance Act or in any other legislation. We do not have a land league. We do not have anybody to protect ordinary small farmers who want to extend their farms to survive and to keep up with quotas, costs and the necessary investment. They can no longer buy a cottage acre; they now resort to buying the cottages with the acres. They want a landscape free of anybody else. Nobody is allowed to live or support anything else.

I support Deputy Daly's call for an examination of the wages paid in the industry, the pay below minimum wage and the other issues. I have previously met both staff and industry representatives during lobbying of the previous Government on this issue. I understand that racing is normally a weekend event, but I asked them why they must have flexi hours and so on. We need openness and transparency and we need this to be investigated properly. We need to support the small trainers, small bookies and ordinary small families that handle the greyhounds and bed the horses. They have a little luck and bravery and get a little satisfaction out of the sport and love and want to protect it.

We must also consider animal cruelty. Last year, we could not have our national coursing open in Clonmel because all the hares had been killed by marauding gangs of people whom the animal rights campaigners do not want to tackle at all. These marauding gangs are the same people to whom we talk about giving ethnic status in the very near future in this House.

The individuals to whom I refer went out with terriers and lurchers. They had videos of the killing of hares. Up to five and six dogs with no muzzles were going after a hare. That is what happened to the industry and that is what is happening because of the gangs to which Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan referred. This is not happening where regulated coursing meetings are held because the representatives of the Irish Coursing Club are present, and rightly so. Moreover, vets and officials from the Department are also present, and rightly so.

We want a regulated industry and we want to protect it. However, we cannot have people terrorising homes. When people ring the Garda, they are threatened and told that they will be burnt out or that their fences will be cut down. All the hares were killed by dogs, including lurchers and terriers, accompanied by gangs of men in vans. They put up videos on Facebook featuring the hares they had captured and killed using five or six dogs. That is not sport; that is animal cruelty at its worst. Animal rights people, including some Deputies, do not want to know anything about that. These people have protection and are above the law. That is where the problems have to be weeded out.

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