Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Let us place this matter in perspective. The greyhound industry is worth €560 million and provides employment to 11,000 people on a full and part-time basis. In addition, the export market relating to the industry is worth €39 million. Next week the annual festival will take place at Cheltenham, the Mecca of the horse racing industry, at which Ireland will showcase the talent of its horses and the sportsmanship and professionalism of its jockeys and trainers as being the best in the world. If the Bill is passed, as Senator Coffey stated, many greyhounds will be exported to other jurisdictions and will no longer be seen as part of the Irish brand.

If the Government, the Minister of State and those opposite are happy with a situation whereby brood bitches from this country will be exported, then they should pass the Bill. However, if we are serious about retaining the 11,000 jobs to which I refer and about supporting the industry, it is my contention that the Bill will do a serious disservice to the people in Cork with whom I am familiar who are involved in the industry. These individuals are professional, are concerned with regard to their support and the industry and they want to ensure that excellent standards apply.

I also heard about the comments made by the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Peter Power, in Limerick at the weekend. Will the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, clarify what his colleague meant when he stated the Bill would not affect the industry? Is it being stated that the people in the industry with whom I am familiar, namely, the Lynch family, Noel Holland, the O'Callaghan family of Macroom, the McKenna family and Paul Hennessy, do not observe what the explanatory memorandum refers to as "the duties of operators in relation to the conditions in dog breeding establishments" or that they are not concerned about the industry or their sport? I do not believe that to be the case.

I beg to disagree with the Minister of State in respect of the 1958 Act. I want the officials from the Department to take note of what I am about to say, particularly in view of the fact that they are driving matters in respect of this aspect of the legislation. Those in the industry will be obliged to comply with regulations relating to the registration of stud dogs and mating practices, the declaration of litters, an identification procedure in respect of pups and the naming of adult greyhounds.

I accept the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, has a need to serve his constituency and to cater for some of his friends and supporters. The Green Party has made a virtue of getting rid of political patronage and of refusing to accept corporate donations. This legislation represents that party pandering to people in its niche market, namely, those who cannot distinguish between the different forms of greyhounds, dogs, hounds etc. We are not discussing mongrel breeds. This is about the industry. The duties of the operator are well known to the Irish Greyhound Board and the associations of the owners, trainers and breeders. They are also well known to those who act as control stewards and on behalf of the industry.

Senator Cummins made a very telling point: there is a relationship between the greyhound owner, the trainer and the vet that does not apply in any other part of the dog industry. The explanatory memorandum reads, "Section 14(5) provides for the Minister to invite representations on draft guidelines, consider representations received and publish guidelines in relation to dog breeding establishments". Has the Minister engaged with and met people involved in the greyhound industry? Will the Minister of State tell the House whether he has done so? If he has, what was the outcome? What was the nature of the deliberations? Has he taken on board what was said in any part of them?

Is the Minister of State, as the second man in charge, prepared to approach the Minister on behalf of the Members of this House, some of whom are members of the same party as the Minister of State and spoke admirably in favour of the Fine Gael amendments but went through the lobbies to vote the other way? I hope changes will be made. By his renunciation of the amendments, the Minister of State is casting a slur on people involved in the greyhound industry.