Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the use of drugs in the greyhound industry. In 2015, the Greyhound Industry (Racing) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations were introduced, coming into effect on 1 October 2015.It specifically provided for the immediate disqualification of any greyhound that returns an adverse analytical finding. Such greyhounds were to stand disqualified. However, it has come to my attention that a greyhound that tested positive on three occasions for the banned substance, cocaine, was allowed to race by the Irish Greyhound Board last Saturday evening, where he won the Irish St. Leger. There is a major issue in the greyhound industry. The owners and breeders are not being listened to. We have heard from the Government. I gave the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, some credit when he was Chairman of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. However, since he has become Minister of State there has been little progress in allowing the ordinary breeders and owners to have their voices and concerns listened to.

The greyhound legislation is to come before these Houses. However, existing legislation is not even being adhered to by the governing authority, which is in receipt of almost €300,000 of taxpayers' money each week. It will not even listen to the breeders and owners. This industry is in decline and the issue is going to explode. It is one of our traditional industries. The greyhound is the poor man's racehorse. The situation is absolutely unacceptable. I urge the Leader to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, to come to the House to listen to the serious allegations that will be brought before him and to answer some of them and provide some clarity as to why the Government is allowing this situation to continue.