Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State will remember that last year, around the time the Government was formed, there was a major public outcry over the export of three Irish greyhounds to Macau, where they would have been raced in the infamous Canidrome, where dogs are effectively raced to death. Subsequently, a few dozen Irish dogs were returned to Ireland when the transport authorities in the UK stopped those who were carrying them. There is no adoption or protection system in Macau or in China generally but there has been much evidence regarding the matter.

Constituents of mine have been in contact with me about persistent reports of exports to Pakistan. Videos have been uploaded on social media and so on showing animals being seriously maltreated with hunting animals, and the Minister of State needs to address this. He mentioned direct exports. As he will be aware, 80% of the dogs in the UK are our dogs, dogs that were bred here - beautiful, intelligent animals. Has the Minister of State made any contact with the equivalent Department or Minister in the UK to bring this matter to their attention and see what they might be able to do together? I know the Irish Department will be in contact with its equivalent in the UK regarding Brexit, our agriculture and fisheries and so on. In this context, the Bill I introduced was advocated strongly by the Dogs Trust welfare organisation. There is great eagerness to create a white list of countries that treat greyhounds and dogs generally well and to set the example for Britain. Has the Minister of State held any such discussions?

See this speech in context