Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

This is the 11th time since I have been elected to the Dáil that I have been asked to agree to give tens of millions of euros, now almost €100 million, to the horse and greyhound racing industry. I added it up and, over the time I have been in the Dáil, the Dáil has voted time after time, all in all, to give almost €1 billion to the horse and greyhound racing industry. This year, as in every other year, the funding is being increased by €6 million. Coincidentally, €6 million is the same amount as the total amount of money received by animal welfare organisations this year. That €6 million is spread across 100 animal welfare organisations. Right there in the figures we see how much Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party, and the others who will go along with it, value animal welfare compared with how they value the animal cruelty industry that is greyhound racing in particular.

Collectively, horse and greyhound racing are getting €99.1 million, with €79 million for the horseracing industry. Almost all of this money ends up tax-free in the pockets of the richest people in this country. There is also €20 million for the greyhound industry, keeping this industry of cruelty on life support. The tracking system for greyhounds introduced in 2021 reveals that almost 3,000 racing greyhounds born in 2021, one quarter of all the puppies born that year, are already dead. The natural life expectancy of a greyhound is ten to 15 years but one quarter of Irish racing greyhounds are dead before they reach their third or fourth birthday.

What is happening to these dogs? Last year, the industry itself reported that 133 dogs died on the tracks. This is an average of 11 dogs killed every month. Dogs are routinely doped up with dangerous drugs to make them run faster. Young dogs often drop dead of heart attacks. Every racetrack has a freezer for the carcases of all the dead dogs. This includes the nine State-owned greyhound racetracks. We have State-owned greyhound racetracks. Think about this for a minute. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have eagerly privatised vital public services such as childcare and nursing homes but they are dead set on hanging on to publicly owned greyhound racing tracks and publicly owned freezers stuffed full of dead dogs. It is so grotesque it is almost unbelievable.

It is not only the animals that suffer from this State-sponsored cruelty. People unfortunate enough to become addicted to gambling are being exploited. They and their families are victims of this State-owned and State-funded industry. In August the ISPCA called for the closure of the greyhound racing industry on animal welfare grounds. Dogs Trust made a similar call last year. They all want a ban on greyhound racing, as a majority of the public supports. The industry is closely linked with the barbaric practice of hare coursing. Not alone will the Minister of State not ban it, he is increasing the funding to it. Without this public money, the industry simply would not survive. In future people will look back at these practices in the same light as banned barbaric practices such as badger baiting and dogfighting. This must be an issue in the general election.

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