Dessie Ellis (Dublin North-West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I urge the Government to ban what I can only describe as a barbaric and invasive procedure used on greyhounds whereby they are subjected to surgical artificial insemination. This highly controversial procedure, which is already banned in the UK, involves making a cut in the abdomen of a greyhound and inserting semen directly into its uterus.

This is not an isolated, occasional surgical procedure. Figures from 2023 show that in the previous ten years, almost 5,000 greyhound litters were born in Ireland following surgical artificial insemination. In the past four years alone, more than 500 surgical artificial inseminations were performed on racing and coursing greyhounds.

The process must be distressing for the female greyhound as it is involves anaesthetising it and making a small incision in the abdomen in order to lift out the uterus. The semen is injected directly into the uterus using a fine needle before the uterus is placed back into the greyhound's body and the wound is stitched. The procedure also involves injecting semen extracted from deceased dogs.

The British Veterinary Association has stated its view that this practice is highly unethical and very painful for bitches because the subsequent pregnancy will put additional pressure on the abdominal wounds. All surgeries come with risks but these animals are being subjected to a process that is not intended to correct a medical issue that can only be resolved by surgery. The animals' lives are being put at risk by a non-vital surgical procedure. It is well known that greyhounds are prone to certain complications such as blood clotting that can be exacerbated by this unnecessary surgical procedure. It is not done for the good of the greyhound or for health reasons. It is about the greed of the greyhound industry and the money won at the local dog track.

In general, a greyhound should have only three to four litters in its lifetime. While there is no limit in theory to how many times a greyhound can undergo surgical artificial insemination, and even if it is only carried out for the limit of three or four litters a greyhound should have for its well-being, it is still three or four litters too many. The procedure causes unnecessary strain and stress for the dog. It is nothing to do with the dog's welfare and everything to do with making money for its owner.

Animal welfare organisations have been vocal in expressing their concerns about the procedure. I welcome the announcement in April 2024 by the Veterinary Council of Ireland that it had updated its code of professional conduct for veterinary practitioners prohibiting veterinarians from carrying out surgical artificial inseminations in dogs due to ethical and welfare considerations. It is a cruel, unnecessary and clearly unethical procedure. A report by the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine recommended a complete ban on surgical artificial insemination, noting it carried risks even when performed in a controlled sterile environment.

The practice must be banned. We see from the consultation process carried out by the Veterinary Council of Ireland that the public is against the procedure. A report by the working group on the control of dogs recommended revising the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 to prohibit surgical artificial insemination in canines. I urge that the Minister look seriously at these recommendations and introduce the necessary amendments to address this barbaric practice.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am taking this important issue, which the Deputy set out so passionately, on behalf of the Minister for agriculture. The Veterinary Council of Ireland announced in April 2024 that it had updated its code of professional conduct for veterinary practitioners to prohibit veterinarians from carrying out surgical artificial insemination in dogs due to ethical and welfare considerations. However, this new prohibition does not apply to greyhounds as the practice is provided for in legislation under the Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds Regulations 2005.

The report of the working group on control of dogs, which was approved by the Cabinet in March 2023 and has been published online, includes a recommendation that surgical artificial insemination in canines be prohibited, where the word "canine" encompasses all breeds of dogs, including greyhounds. In 2024, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine held a public consultation on whether the practice of carrying out surgical artificial insemination in greyhounds should be banned.

This public consultation has now closed and will contribute to the legislative process. The results of the public consultation will be published in due course. The Department of agriculture is closely examining this issue and will be providing advice on an appropriate course of action in the near future.

There is a strong commitment to improve animal welfare in the greyhound racing sector in the programme for Government. The Government’s support is contingent on a guarantee of welfare standards being upheld by Rásaíocht Con Éireann on an annual basis to ensure Rásaíocht Con Éireann continues to provide financial support for the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust and contributes to rehoming greyhounds. Since 2020, the Department of agriculture has ensured that a minimum of 10% of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund allocation to Rásaíocht Con Éireann is ring-fenced for welfare, including integrity.

Rásaíocht Con Éireann has confirmed that from 2019 to the end of quarter 1 of 2025, it spent €19.3 million on traceability, care and welfare. Rásaíocht Con Éireann continues to operate an ever-expanding greyhound care fund, utilising income from the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund towards the implementation of the highest possible welfare standards at kennels and racing facilities throughout the country. To facilitate the Department of agriculture in monitoring expenditure on welfare, quarterly reports on progress regarding the continued implementation of the care and welfare programme are required from Rásaíocht Con Éireann.

Provisions in the Greyhound Racing Act 2019 support Rásaíocht Con Éireann in strengthening greyhound welfare. This legislation strengthens the legal basis for the industry, with a view to fortifying the integrity of the greyhound racing sector and improving provision for greyhound traceability. In addition to its care and welfare programme, Rásaíocht Con Éireann has a comprehensive range of activity in the areas of regulatory, integrity and laboratory functions. This includes activity on welfare inspections and investigations, testing regimes, veterinary services and financial support for the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust and contributions to private rehoming agencies. These care and welfare initiatives ran by Rásaíocht Con Éireann are a key priority.

A key element underpinning the welfare in any sector is traceability. The provision of a full IT traceability system for racing greyhounds is important in this respect. The Rásaíocht Con Éireann traceability system came into operation on 11 January 2021. The system provides a mechanism to ensure that racing greyhounds are properly registered and traceable throughout their lives up to the point of rehoming or retirement.

At the track, Rásaíocht Con Éireann makes a considerable effort to minimise the risk of injury by investing considerable sums of money each year on track maintenance and improvements. Veterinary surgeons are present at race times to ensure that only fit dogs run and that injured dogs receive prompt treatment.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North-West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

On the behalf of the Minister, Deputy Heydon, I thank the Deputy for his dedication to this topic. The Minister agrees that more can be done in this regard. Both he and his Department are fully committed to progressing this work. I have to admit that I honestly was not aware of this practice until I was asked to cover this Topical Issue Debate this evening.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has lead policy responsibility within the Government for animal welfare and takes its role most seriously. There is a strong commitment to the policy that animal welfare standards are vigorously applied in a fair and even-handed manner. We know why such improvements had to be introduced in recent years, but they have been introduced. The Department keeps animal welfare legislation under review with respect to developments in the area of animal welfare and with regard to the practical lessons from operating the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.

The Deputy has asked a very fair question tonight with regard to when we can expect the conclusions and findings of a public consultation that has been closed for more than 12 months and whether that public consultation will feed into the legislative changes the Deputy is asking for. The honest answer is that I do not know. The Deputy has asked a fair question, which I will relate back to the Minister who has asked me to deputise for him this evening. I will ask for the Minister or his officials to come back directly to the Deputy with an answer to that fair question.