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

The Greyhound Rescue Association told us that, between 2010 and 2015, almost 3,000 of our greyhounds were surrendered to dog pounds, of which 2,500 were destroyed and 400 were, thankfully, homed or collected by welfare organisations. These are bad figures. In 2016, 284 greyhounds entered pounds, of which half were euthanised. The Government needs to address what is a major welfare issue.

Dogs Trust, which helped me to draft the Bill on a white list, recently launched the #Greywatch campaign asking members of the public to consider adopting greyhounds and lurchers, which are wonderful, sentient animals.

The focus must be on countries that do not share our standards.

I would like the Department to consider that urgently and include it in the Bill.

See this speech in context