Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I beg the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's indulgence to mention that this is a significant day for five of our colleagues. For Fianna Fáil, it is particularly significant for Deputy Kelleher who marks his last day as a Member of Dáil Éireann. It is also a significant day for Deputies Fitzgerald, Clare Daly and Wallace and Senator Grace O'Sullivan. We send them every good wish as they move to the European Parliament. Like the Tánaiste, they may come back at some stage. I thank them for their contributions. In particular, I thank Deputy Kelleher for his service to my party as a Member of the House. I wish all of them well.

Last night's "RTÉ Investigates" programme was enormously distressing. The treatment of greyhounds was, frankly, disgraceful. Deputy Cahill, in particular, has been working on this matter for some years. While we acknowledge the strength of the new legislation on animal welfare, there is a difficulty with enforcement. There is no consistency in enforcement nationally, in particular, at local authority level. I ask the Tánaiste for his reaction to last night's programme as a former Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and that a clear signal be sent from the Government that this behaviour is not tolerable and will not be allowed to continue and that those engaged in the disgraceful and disgusting actions highlighted will be brought to justice.

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