Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he intends to implement the recommendations of the Dalton report in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27233/06]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 2: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the action he proposes to take arising from the report of the Dalton inquiry into certain events within Bord na gCon; if he intends to make changes to members of the board arising from the conclusions of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27234/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Not more than 12 minutes are allotted for both questions.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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In assenting at its meeting on 4 July to the publication of the Dalton report, the Government also approved my proposals for the implementation of the main recommendations made by Mr. Dalton. These address, inter alia, the need for the creation of an independent doping control structure for the regulation of greyhound racing; a comprehensive review of existing legislation governing the operations of Bord na gCon to bring legislation into line with best current practice; changes concerning the tenure of the chairman and members of the board, with each now to be restricted to a maximum of two terms of five years in the case of the chair, and three years for board members; and an increase in the size of the board from seven to nine members.

It is my intention to progress the drafting of amending legislation as rapidly as possible. I will engage fully with the board of Bord na gCon in carrying out this change agenda and I am certain I will have its full support in this process. I will also request the board to review its corporate governance procedures and to address issues of low staff morale, which were also highlighted in the Dalton report.

The implementation of the report's recommendations will be of benefit to the greyhound industry, bringing it in line with best current practice for State boards, and will bring about a greater stability in this important sector. I am grateful to Mr. Dalton for conducting his inquiries in a sensitive and thoroughly professional manner.

I express my gratitude, and that of my Government colleagues, to Mr. Taggart for his many years of service to the greyhound industry. As Deputies will be aware, Mr. Taggart has advised me that he will step down as chairman of Bord na gCon with effect from tomorrow. His outstanding achievements in transforming the greyhound industry will long be remembered.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I join the Minister in acknowledging the contribution Mr. Paschal Taggart made to the greyhound industry since being appointed by the rainbow Government back in the mid-1990s. Whereas I welcome the publication of this report, I find the process that was carried out in publishing it to be unacceptable. First, the letter that was sent by the chief executive officer to the Minister's office back in January was leaked to the press, by whom we do not know. In April, the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report were leaked to Jody Corcoran, a high profile journalist with the Irish Independent, and to The Sunday Tribune. We had the report's conclusions and recommendations back in April.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Does the Deputy have a question?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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When the Minister was asked in this House why he had not published the report earlier, he said it was because he wanted due process. Was there due process when these leaks were carried out? In most cases they were very selective. As regards the report's recommendations, I produced a Bill two weeks ago which was rejected by the Minister. I was accused of pre-empting this report. Does the Minister accept that the same independent regulatory process is being recommended in the Dalton report? I said it would be because it was included in one of those leaks.

I have previously raised the absence of female board members in Bord na gCon. Has the Minister ever appointed a woman to that board? There are certainly no women on the board now. This came out very strongly in the report.

Does Bord na gCon have a rule book and a list of prohibited substances?

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy to be brief because we will run out of time for the Minister's reply.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I will conclude but this is very important. Does Bord na gCon have a rule book, like they have in England? Will the Minister classify steroids as being a prohibited substance, as recommended in the report?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, I believe that due process was administered. In so far as I was concerned, I followed up on my promises to the letter all the way from the time when Mr. Dalton was first appointed to the date when the report was published. I repeat that neither I nor my departmental officials were responsible for any leak, anywhere, at any time.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Who was?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I do not know.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Who is the mysterious individual?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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How in the name of goodness could I possibly know who leaked it?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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There should be an inquiry into it.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is asking the wrong person.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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There should be an inquiry into it.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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If Deputy Deenihan wants to call for an inquiry, that is his business. I am afraid, however, that I must be practical about it. I know very well from past experience that an inquiry would not get us too far. In any event, I followed due process from the moment that Mr. Dalton was appointed right to the day the document was published. There can be no question but that neither I nor my departmental officials were responsible for any leak at any time during that period.

With regard to the question of Deputy Deenihan's Bill, he complains about leaks, which is fair enough. It appears, however, that his Bill has resulted from the leaks because one of the leaks related to the question——

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I read it all in the newspaper in April.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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——of a doping control agency. That is what Deputy Deenihan's Bill suggested.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I suggested the Bill in 1997.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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It was not sufficient and, unfortunately, we could not take that Bill on board. It is my intention, in accordance with the Government decision, to implement the recommendations the Government has agreed. I appointed a woman to the board of Bord na gCon, Ms Helen Nugent from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, and, unfortunately, she subsequently resigned. We will move on to bring in new legislation. The Greyhound Industry Act 1958 is out of date in so far as modern conditions are concerned. The membership of the board will be increased. We will provide that the chairman may serve for no longer than two terms. We will also make similar provision for ordinary members.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I too wish to be associated with the previous speakers in regard to the work Mr. Taggart did during his 11 years stewardship of Bord na gCon. Does the Minister accept that the Dalton report, even with its limited terms of reference, is a damning indictment of mismanagement, inadequate corporate governance and unsatisfactory controls against doping and poor staff relations in the organisation and has led to Mr. Dalton stating that morale is at a very low level? Does he accept that urgent steps are needed to restore confidence among those involved in the industry, be it the staff of Bord na gCon, the owners or those who patronise it? What steps does the Minister intend to take in providing a new chair and filling vacancies on the board, bearing in mind the gender factor, as raised by Deputy Deenihan?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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There are five recommendations under the heading of corporate governance, all of which we will seek to implement. In so far as the whole question of doping is concerned, the report makes it clear there should be an independent agency governing this matter. We are taking that recommendation on board. With regard to the issue of morale within Bord na gCon, naturally following all the traumatic events that have occurred since the dismissal of Mr. Tynan, there is a difficulty. However, it is a difficulty we shall resolve. Prior to this difficulty erupting, morale in Bord na gCon was quite good. The board of Bord na gCon, together with the Government, has succeeded in transforming the industry right across the country. Much of this was due to the work of the chairman and the board and could not have been done without substantial Government funding, particularly since 2001, when the horse and greyhound racing fund was set up.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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A Cheann Comhairle——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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We were almost eight minutes into the question before I could call Deputy Wall and we have to give him a chance.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I wish to ask about certain information to which Mr. Dalton has referred that was not within his remit to comment on but has been passed on to the Minister. It relates to the development of Shelbourne Park. I listened to the debate in the Committee of Public Accounts today on that matter. What mechanism will the Minister put in place to restore confidence in that aspect? Did he receive the PricewaterhouseCoopers report much discussed at the Committee of Public Accounts? We know what has been determined by Mr. Dalton in a limited reference. Given its huge significance throughout the country, will there be wide-scale investigation of this industry to include all the people and all the tracks involved and the benefits to local communities in those areas as well as nationally?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I remind the Minister that the Bill I proposed the last day was the one I had ready for publication in 1997, just before we left office, and that was not pursued by the Government.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Our intention is to introduce new legislation which should come before the House in the not too distant future. Everybody will acknowledge that the base Act of 1958 is out of date and does not apply to modern conditions. There is a need for a revamp of the legislation in so far as it affects Bord na gCon and the entire sector. On the question of how we will achieve this, I will follow the recommendations in the report as closely as possible. If there are any further points that occur to Members or others that appear to be a good idea we will examine those suggestions carefully.

With regard to the matters outside the scope of the investigation which were drawn to Mr. Dalton's attention on the basis that they might merit further examination, these issues have been brought to the attention of the Comptroller and Auditor General who, I understand, will examine them.