Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I oppose the motion put forward by the Social Democrats. The proposed increase in the Horse and Greyhound Fund is necessary, given the severe impact of Covid-19 on the horse and greyhound industries. The most recent economic assessment of the industry was undertaken by the economist Jim Power in November 2017. Mr. Power's report found that the greyhound industry delivers €302 million to the economy, with 12,371 people deriving economic benefit from it. Many families have been raised thanks to the owning, breeding and training of greyhounds, getting children through college and school from the earnings delivered from the industry. Greyhound racing is an integral part of rural Irish life. It is simply outrageous to hear the constant, unjustified bashing of the industry. These attacks are littered with false claims and allegations and are deliberately designed to undermine greyhound racing.

Yesterday's publicity stunt by Deputy Cairns, where she stood outside the gates of Leinster House with a lurcher and then went on to say it was an abandoned greyhound, is further evidence of the false claims being put forward.

Today's motion is another direct attack on rural Ireland by the Social Democrats, an urban-based party that is determined to ban greyhound racing, coursing, horse racing, point-to-point racing, hunting and all other rural pursuits. The repeated insulting claims of widespread appalling mistreatment of greyhounds by people involved in the sport are simply not true. The chief inspector of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine that the number of contacts the organisation receives concerning greyhounds is negligible. At a time when many industries are closed because of Covid-19, it is incredible that the Social Democrats Party is trying to close down this vital industry for rural Ireland.

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