Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is ironic that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, who is causing problems here today, is the colleague of the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Josepha Madigan, who is also responsible for greyhound racing. This House only recently passed the Greyhound Racing Bill with the backing of Fianna Fáil. While I have some concerns about the RTÉ programme which was somewhat like "Rolling Back the Years", the way the greyhound industry is being portrayed by some of the Taoiseach's ministerial colleagues is appalling. How can we have confidence in the Government, having passed the Greyhound Racing Bill? The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Andrew Doyle, has said that he will bring forward amendments to correct animal welfare legislation and here we have a senior Minister undermining the whole industry. I remind the Taoiseach I was in Shelbourne Park last Saturday week and went with friends to Curraheen Park last weekend where the first round of the Laurels was run and there was a full house. More importantly, the prize money has been guaranteed for the next four years because of public support. I ask the Taoiseach please to intervene.

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