Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to show my support here today and discuss this important issue concerning the funding of the greyhound industry. Many people are running scared after last week's debate, where the opening statement and motion from the Social Democrats was very clear. That party did not want to see the increase in the budget for the greyhound industry by the Government this year and also wanted to phase out all funding by 2025, all based on a TV programme in 2019. In that opening statement, the Social Democrats ordered those of us who spoke in favour of our greyhounds to declare who lobbied us or what connections we had with the greyhound industry. I have none, but I was greatly insulted at the perception that a Deputy who would show support for thousands of caring greyhound owners would only do so for some ulterior motive. For God's sake, I ask the Social Democrats to show some respect to their colleagues here. I do not know what kind of politics they are used to, but it is not my type of politics.

To the Social Democrats, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin, all parties which voted against funding for greyhounds last week, where a percentage of those funds was going towards animal care, I ask them to sit into their cars and come down to Kilcoe and to Collins's farm in west Cork - no relation, I add - where those people have had many greyhounds for a long number of years. I visited that farm yesterday and, to be honest, the best way to sum up the way they treat and care for their greyhounds is to say that it is truly awesome. Those people, along with other greyhound owners, are furious at the way they have been tarred with the one brush by the Social Democrats. I ask the Social Democrats to sit up and acknowledge the thousands of greyhound owners who care for and love their animals.

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