Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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470. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on reports that greyhounds which tested positive for procaine had their positive tests annulled under a threshold that was introduced after they had been found positive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21968/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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This is an operational matter for Bord nag Con, which is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of greyhound racing under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958. It has specific powers conferred on it by the Greyhound Industry (Racing) Regulations 2007, S.I. 302 of 2007, which set out the detailed rules under which greyhound racing is conducted.

Bord na gCon have informed me that they did not annul any positive tests. I understand that following a report by a group that reviewed the issue of dietary contamination by prohibited substances, Bord na gCon changed the threshold levels for certain prohibited substances in October 2013. I am advised that all cases involving positives found to have been below the revised threshold were referred to the Control Committee for determination.

In December 2013, Bord na gCon issued a guidance document to greyhound owners and trainers with appropriate withdrawal times for various medications and with a specific reference to the substance procaine.