Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ar an gcéad dul síos, I declare an interest because I was reared on a family farm with cattle, dogs and sheepdogs. The Ceann Comhairle knows this. I still have sheepdogs. My son is farming the mountain sheep. It would be impossible without sheepdogs. I would like to put a question to Deputy Bríd Smith. Although she is not here now, I am sure it will be carried back to her. She comes to this House most days with a dog in the van in hail, rain, snow or hot weather. I would love to bring my dogs to Dublin but I could not mind them here. I wonder where the animal cruelty is in that.

The thoroughbred industry alone has an annual economic impact of approximately €1.9 billion and supports around 29,000 jobs directly and indirectly. Government support through the horse and greyhound fund is essential in sustaining these industries. The 2025 fund has been increased and we welcome it.

I also appeal for more funding for animal shelters. The PAWS Animal Rescue charity in Mullinahone in County Tipperary badly needs funding. From the bottom of my heart, I abhor any cruelty of any kind to dogs or animals of any sort. Some 99.9% of farmers look after their animals as well as they do themselves. There are some rogues. The horrible practices we have seen, sometimes with calves and many times with dogs, should be stamped out. These should not be allowed. No one will talk about the cruelty of sulky racing on hard surfaces, which does untold damage to the feet and knees of the little ponies doing the pulling. These are small, young ponies. They are being killed on the roads and left there. That has happened, but we cannot talk about this taboo topic here. None of the left parties will touch this issue or mention it. I refer to the number of hares being killed by six and seven dogs, including lurchers and terriers, with no muzzles tearing them apart. There is no talk of the cruelty here. It is totally ignored. We cannot mention it because it is an ethnic minority who do it. We cannot even mention it. It is total hypocrisy and scandalous carry-on that there is a blindness to seeing what is going on.

I wish Deputy Cairns well in her upcoming event. I wish everybody well. However, she brought a lurcher up here to the Dáil one time and did not even know what a greyhound was. She had a lurcher outside protesting one time. I pointed it out to her at the time. She did not know the difference. Please come and see how farmers support their animals and the greyhound industry. We are so lucky in County Tipperary to have such prowess in the racing industry. We have Brian Acheson, Coolmore, Aidan O'Brien and many more small people. They give great enjoyment but above all they provide jobs and support our economy.

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