Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am appalled by the Minister of State's response, because there is no urgency in what he is saying. We knew this was taking place. The Minister of State and the Minister behind him have known for a number of years about the greyhound industry and the treatment of hares in hare coursing. Steps have to be taken, clinically and quickly, to show the industry that these practices will not be tolerated at all. We are talking about 6,000 greyhounds being brought to knackeries each year, and being beaten to death because they cannot run fast enough. This is not livestock: these are animals that should be treated with respect. I am asking the Minister of State to tell the Irish greyhound industry immediately that its funding will be stopped if these issues are not dealt with. We should only issue passports to greyhounds going to countries with welfare conditions of a standard as high as our own and that should be double checked. Licences for hare coursing and netting should be stopped immediately until they are investigated. These sorts of things, and not the weaselly words I have heard from the Minister today, will have an impact. It is not good enough.

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