Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I very much resent what has been said so far. Deputies have told mistruths about the respectable people involved in this industry. The image of 6,000 dogs disappearing per year is factually incorrect. Under the IGB system, dogs are registered at 12 weeks of age and are named before they are 12 months old. If a dog gets two trials and races on an Irish track, that dog can then be sold in England or elsewhere. It can be retired abroad if it is not good enough for racing here and can finish up in a good home in Germany, Italy or anywhere. On the system, it will look like that dog has disappeared but the dog could be quite happy and alive. For people to portray that image is wrong.

The impression has been given that this is taxpayers' money and that is also wrong. The money is coming from the betting industry. I have heard people saying derogatory things today about the betting industry. Is there something wrong with a person having a drink? Is there something wrong with a person having a bet? There is not. I am friends with people who go to the racetrack in Tralee on a weekly basis. They might bet €5 a night in total, placing 50 cent on this dog and 50 cent on that. They are making small bets. These are retired people, predominantly, and they love the enjoyment of the bit of sport. It is not as though they are betting the household weekly budget but that is the impression that is being given here.

Every dog is worth a lot of money in this country. The greyhound sector generates more than €300 million worth of business in the economy. The amount being provided by the State is very small. Furthermore, a lot of the money that the Social Democrats want to take away is actually for the protection and well-being of the animals.

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