Ray Butler (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I have been involved in the greyhound industry all my life. I have bred, raced and trained greyhounds and my family history can be traced back in the industry to winning major competitions. This industry is the best in the world. We are noted for breeding the best greyhounds in the world. The industry employs between 10,000 and 10,500 people. Unfortunately, there are legacy issues. I do not blame any political party but the chief executive officer, CEO, of the IGB was on €300,000 under the previous Administration. The Taoiseach was not even in receipt of the same wage. It was a disgrace. The CEO was told not to proceed with a project in Limerick by solicitors and architects but she went ahead and ploughed €1 million into a hole in the ground with clay to fill in before she even started building the greyhound stadium, which became a white elephant. We have a new CEO - Ms Geraldine Larkin is gone-----