Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 19 is in the group we are discussing. The proposal is an excellent idea and I hope it can be incorporated into the legislation. We should be concerned about the manner in which we treat all pets and animals. If we are sending greyhounds to countries with poor track records, we should be concerned about it. We should also be concerned about the manner in which we treat greyhounds here. We have talked about that today. We are discussing a new section 56 dealing with the eligibility of registered greyhounds to race. We must include in the legislation more stringent controls over animal welfare and abuse of greyhounds. Senator Ruane is right to propose these amendments and I sincerely hope the Minister of State will look favourably on them. I will raise some specific points on the section when we conclude our discussion on the amendments.

We should all remember that a greyhound makes an excellent family pet. When greyhounds come to the end of their racing cycle, they have to be rehomed. We have heard horror stories of greyhounds being killed because, in the view of those who race them, they are not fit for racing. That is terrible. There is an organisation within the control of the Irish Greyhound Board. I am not sure of the name but I think it is the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust. It is an excellent way of rehoming greyhounds that have fulfilled their racing obligations. There are charitable organisations doing exactly the same work. I have read stories about members of the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust flying to Canada with Irish greyhounds to try to get them rehomed. Many people here who are looking for family pets do not even know greyhounds are available to be taken as family pets. Should a campaign not be established by the Irish Greyhound Board in respect of rehoming greyhounds that have been retired? I assure the House that while Canada is a great place, it costs a lot of money to bring a greyhound there. It eats into the budget. There are many in Ireland, especially children, who would love a greyhound as a family pet. Maybe that should be considered. We cannot do it in the legislation. Would it not be a wonderful campaign to have up and running for Christmas? There are children looking for pets and there are retired greyhounds that we could rehome in family homes in Ireland. It would be a wonderful news story. I cannot understand why this was not done before. I am aware that some of the charities are doing it but I am not sure whether the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust has done it. Perhaps it is something the trust should consider. How many of the hundreds of greyhounds that reach the end of their racing careers each year are rehomed in Ireland? Is it more lucrative to export them? I do not know the answer but am just posing the question. I support the amendment.

If amendments Nos. 17 and 18 are not acceptable to the Department, amendment No. 19 offers a fantastic compromise. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it. The amendment would strengthen the Minister’s hand and improve animal welfare. We brought animal welfare legislation through the Houses not too long ago but unfortunately the standards set out in that legislation are not being complied with in respect of racing greyhounds. I am not sure why that happens. We have heard stories today about greyhounds being fed everything from cocaine to Viagra.