Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have a serious interest in this sector, and I take exception to some of the remarks that have been made. I know they were made in good faith and with the best of intentions for the sector, but all those remarks seem to relate to the animal welfare side and to emanate from the famous RTÉ "Prime Time Investigates" programme. While I cannot, and would not, justify anything that was seen on that programme, that was a rogue element. Some 99.9% of animal owners, including horse and greyhound owners, have more time for animals than for humans, spend more money on animals than on humans and treat animals better than humans. I stand accused of this in my own house, and I am not alone in that regard. It is unfair that good animal owners, animal trainers and animal lovers are tarred with the one brush.

I compliment Senator O'Reilly and I can see exactly where she is coming from. She is an eminent spokesperson, but we will not agree on this issue politically. There will not be the breadth of a cigarette paper between us when it comes to dealing with animal welfare issues during the term of this Government. On the back of the famous television programme which keeps being quoted, we had numerous meetings and inquiries. The Minister was on the agriculture committee with me during the last term, when the Greyhound Racing Act 2019 was introduced. It must be given a chance to come to fruition. Representatives from what was then Bord na gCon and is now RCÉ appeared before the committee. The governance of that organisation has been changed, as has how it deals with animal welfare. A traceability system is being introduced, which is long overdue and probably should have been there before. It is coming now, however, and it will be comparable to the bovine traceability system, which works 100%. It is possible to trace a calf from birth, through its life and to death.

I will not recite again the number of jobs in the industry, because those are facts and without them Ireland would be dead. Two groups have not been mentioned here today - the horses and greyhounds. They are natural racers, jumpers and runners. What do we do if we do not continue with and support these industries? What do we do if we do not love, mind and train these animals to do what they were born to do and what is in their natural DNA? Putting a greyhound in a pen behind a house or running around the garden is not enough. When a greyhound is born, it is in his or her nature to run, race and hunt. Horses are the same. If we stand these animals in a field and look at them, we can see that it is in their DNA to run, race and jump. Once they are minded and the husbandry is correct, which as I said is the case with 99.9% of the people who have these animals, that is what the horses and greyhounds also want to do.

I support the funding. I have two questions for the Minister. The additional funding is Covid-related. It is vitally important that the Minister works with HRI and RCÉ to ensure this money filters down to the people who suffered most during the pandemic. I refer to the small breeders, owners and trainers. The breeders cannot sell their horses now because the sales have moved to England as that is the market. The second question concerns Brexit and animal welfare in that context. There was mention of the tripartite arrangement. I hope it will still stand after Brexit has been negotiated, but we are hearing that regardless of the outcome of Brexit we are going to have long queues at our ports. I refer to the transportation of horses, and thoroughbreds in particular. They are very finicky animals when out of their usual environment. We must try to evolve a slip lane for the transportation of livestock and bloodstock through our ports, if we do witness the predicted delays.