Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise again the issue of the greyhound industry. On Sunday evening I attended a meeting in Tipperary that was attended by 750 greyhound owners or breeders who outlined their concerns about the way the industry is run. The sector will receive €16 million in subsidies this year under the greyhound fund. Despite the subsidy the industry and stakeholders are hugely concerned. First, the Harold's Cross stadium remains for sale. Second, there has been a complete lack of engagement or consultation with the owners and breeders of greyhounds. A greyhound is a poor man's horse. Those people deserve to be listened to, particularly when State subsidies are being made available through the fund referred to, although most of it is collected through the betting tax. At the meeting we heard that a group would seek a meeting with the Minister and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I ask the Leader to use his good offices to ensure the meeting occurs, to arrange an early debate in this House on the greyhound industry and to ask the Minister when the greyhound Bill is expected to come before the House.

I wish to refer briefly to the national planning framework. The consultation period ended on Friday and submissions were made to the Department. The framework will underpin where people will live, work and the services they obtain over the next 25 years up to 2040. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate so that Senators can express their opinions on the framework. It is early days, but nonetheless the departmental officials will framing their own thoughts following the submissions made. It might be an opportune time to have a debate in the House either before or after the Easter break.