Dessie Ellis (Dublin North-West, Sinn Fein)

The vast majority of people are not aware of this practice. I was not even aware of it for a long time myself. When you explain this to people, they cannot understand how such a practice could take place or how any dog, greyhound or otherwise, could have their uterus taken out, injected and then put back in again. It just does not add up. It is totally and utterly barbaric.

The Minister of State said that in June 2024, the former Minister and current Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, announced a public consultation on whether the practice of surgical artificial insemination in greyhounds should be banned. My colleague, Senator Chris Andrews, raised this issue twice in the Seanad, on 1 May and 19 June 2025. He was told that the public consultation had closed, which the Minister of State stated, and that the results would be published in due course. When will these results be published? It is dragging on and on. This is a question of cruelty to animals and animal rights. It is not something we can drag on. The suffering of these animals is just not good enough. This practice is outlawed in the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands.

I accept what the Minister of State said about Rásaíocht Con Éireann and the rehousing of greyhounds, which has been an issue raised in recent years, although I will not go into the reasons for that. That has been an important and well taken-up thing because, even in my area, I notice a large number of people walking greyhounds. That is working. This issue here is to do with cruelty to animals, however, and Rásaíocht Con Éireann should have a role in trying to get this sorted out. This really needs to be brought forward. It is no use saying the Government is looking at this. This is going on well over a year since it has been brought up.

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