Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The pandemic has shown us the fiscal choices that need to be made in the balancing of public health with the public purse. It has been such a difficult year for so many and many small businesses are afraid that losing their Christmas trade could force them to close their doors permanently, but could opening business cause a loss of life? These are not easy decisions, but I would put health before profits while ensuring that sufficient Government fiscal supports were available to those businesses remaining closed and staff who are still off. Communities have come together over the past nine months but there has been an horrific increase in instances of domestic abuse, so much so that there is a specific Garda operation for this.

The reason I am talking about Covid-19, domestic violence and resources during a debate on a Private Members’ motion on greyhounds is that the greyhound industry receives considerable sums in Exchequer funding. The amount for 2021 is said to be €19.2 million, which includes the increase of €2.4 million in funding that the motion seeks to reverse. I am talking about this because people have said to me that greyhounds are getting more money than women’s services. As well as reversing that funding increase of €2.4 million, the motion calls on the Government to increase funding for the welfare of greyhounds and to phase out State support for the greyhound industry.

Why is the State still funding this industry? Yesterday, I spoke to the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2020 and it is worth noting the strength of the greyhound industry lobby in this country. The "RTÉ Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives" programme aired in 2019 and documented some of the cruel acts taking place in the industry. Advocacy groups have told us that greyhounds are being overbred and that some 6,000 are culled every year. As people have become more aware of the industry, attendance has dropped. It is not the fun social event it once was. The public could no longer ignore the stories of drugging, maltreatment and export.

It would be remiss of me not to mention former Deputies who undertook significant work on the welfare of greyhounds in the previous Dáil. Maureen O’Sullivan and Tommy Broughan often raised the important issues of animal welfare and the treatment and export of greyhounds. Tommy Broughan worked with Dogs Trust Ireland to bring forward the Welfare of Greyhounds (Amendment) Bill 2017. The former Deputies and the now MEP, Clare Daly, worked with Senators Higgins and Ruane on Committee Stage of the Government’s Greyhound Racing Bill 2018 to try to improve it. The Government did not listen to everything we called for then but I hope it will listen now, although I doubt that very much. The public are more aware than ever of our public spending and the areas they want the Government to support, but as usual it will be behind the people.

The greyhound racing industry is so problematic. The serious issues and maltreatment of these dogs have been widely documented. Live hare coursing should also be banned. I know there are some greyhound breeders and owners who adore their dogs and treat them well but, unfortunately, there are many who see them as money-making machines, and weaker pups and litters as collateral damage. What about the older, retired greyhounds? When they are no longer of use, what happens to them? Greyhound racing encourages gambling too, which has its own detrimental effects on society. Why is this industry supported by taxpayers' money? Ideally, I would like this type of racing to be done away with as a sport, but if it must still happen, it should certainly not be supplemented by the public purse,nor should it take scarce resources away from areas such as domestic violence, housing, health provision and so on. I cannot let the moment pass without mentioning the Claire Byrne interview on Wednesday last, 18 November, where a Fine Gael councillor, David McManus, repeatedly lied about the 33,000 jobs in the industry.

I commend Deputy Cairns on bringing forward the motion and returning the issue to the floor of the House. I am more than happy to support the motion and believe that it is important for us to defund the greyhound industry.

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