Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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388. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the €100,000 spent on the modifications to the racing circuit at Limerick Greyhound Stadium, as described in the Comptroller and Auditor General's special report, has been a success; if the statistics on racing collisions since the renovations will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28771/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Bord na gCon is a commercial State body, established in 1958 under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. The question of works on tracks is a matter for Bord na gCon.

Bord na gCon has informed me that tracks are regularly upgraded and improved to enhance the standard and spectacle of racing. These are operational matters for Bord na gCon.

In this instance I understand that the work on the Limerick track arose from a positive consultation process with trainers and owners concerning an issue with the first bend for middle and wide runners, i.e. greyhounds that are in traps 3 and 4, and 5 and 6, respectively. This work involved increasing the width of the bend and modification of the hare rail so that the lure would run straight for longer, thus providing a more gradual sweep on the bend. I will ask Bord na gCon to provide the statistics sought by the Deputy.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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389. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Statutory Instrument No. 494/2014 legalises the use of frozen semen that should have been destroyed under section 14 of the 2005 artificial insemination of greyhounds regulations; if he will confirm that the previous regulations were ignored; the person and bodies responsible for this; the sanction that was taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28772/15]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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390. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Statutory Instrument No. 494/2014 legalises the greyhounds registered in breach of section 14 of the 2005 artificial insemination of greyhounds regulations before November 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28773/15]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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391. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 339 of 30 June 2015, if the procedural issues referred to by him in his reply in relation to the breaches of the 2005 artificial insemination of greyhounds regulations have damaged the integrity of the national greyhound stud book; the steps he has taken to ensure the integrity of the stud book is restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28774/15]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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392. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 343 of 30 June 2015, when the scientific study referred to in his reply will be available; the persons and bodies carrying it out; his views that it would have been prudent to carry out the study before changing the two-year death limit for stud sires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28775/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 389 to 392, inclusive, together.

The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is responsible for the identification and registration of greyhounds in the Irish Greyhound Studbook. The ICC is subject to the general control and direction of Bord na gCon (BnG) under Section 26 (2) of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 (the Act). BnG is the statutory body with responsibility for the improvement and development of the greyhound industry, greyhound racing and coursing.

Detailed rules governing the practice of the artificial insemination of greyhounds were set down in the Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds Regulations, 2005, (S.I. No. 561 of 2005), which were made by BnG under Section 39 of the Act.

The Regulations included a two year limit on the use of semen for artificial insemination following the death of a stud dog and thereafter any unused semen had to be destroyed.

My Department was informed by BnG in early 2013 that procedural issues had arisen in relation to the registration of greyhounds conceived following artificial insemination which were at variance with the provisions set down in the 2005 Regulations referred to above.

As a result of the operational difficulties in the implementation of certain provisions of the aforementioned Regulations, BnG invited industry stakeholders in March 2014 to submit proposals regarding the suitability of these Regulations in the context of meeting industry requirements.  Having discussed the situation at a meeting on 18 September 2014, the Board of BnG after consultation with the ICC, decided to remove the two-year time limit on the use of semen for artificial insemination following the death of a stud dog.

Following that consultation and with my consent, as is required under section 39 of the 1958 Act, the Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds (Amendment) Regulations 2014 were introduced by BnG and came into effect on 1 November 2014, thus removing the two-year time limit on the use of semen for artificial insemination following the death of a stud dog.  These regulations did not have retrospective effect.

I understand that the Board has decided to commission a scientific study in order to inform any decision as to what time limit, if any, should be applied in the future to the use of semen in AI after the death of a stud sire. In this regard, but prior to commissioning the study BnG and the ICC have carried out preliminary research and discussions with various experts in the areas of Quantitative Genetics, Animal & Bioscience Research and Canine Genetics on specific aspects of interest to the proposed AI study, such as:

- Pedigree analysis of inbreeding levels and rate of accumulation of inbreeding in the Irish Greyhound

- Developing a breeding program to ensure long term gains while simultaneously managing genetic diversity

- The impact on the age of semen or age of semen donor on gene mutation rate.

I am informed by BnG that the scientific study referred to above will provide relevant information to assist the Board with regard to further development of policy in this area.

In relation to the studbook, I have received assurances from the ICC that sire and dam and resulting off spring are all verifiable and all details registered in the stud book are correct.