Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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403. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will take to instruct Bord na gCon to appoint only independent members to the control committees operated within the board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33028/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Bord na gCon (BnG) is a commercial State body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, charged with the regulation and development of the greyhound racing industry.

The Control Committee and Control Appeal Committee are statutory committees, appointed by Bord na gCon, under the Greyhound Industry (Control Committee and Control Appeal Committee) Regulations 2007, S.I. 301 of 2007 and are key to the integrity and regulation of the greyhound racing industry.  Each committee serves as an Independent adjudicating body.

Under Section 5 of the Greyhound Industry (Control Committee and Control Appeal Committee) Regulations 2007, the following provisions regarding membership shall apply to the Control Committee:

(i) The Control Committee consists of five members who shall be appointed by the Board of BnG.

(ii) No member of the Control Committee shall be a member of the Board, an officer or employee of the Board or a person holding permit from the Board to perform specified functions at a racetrack.

(iii) At least one practising solicitor or practising barrister and at least one veterinarian shall be appointed to the Control Committee from time to time.

(iv) A member of the Control Committee may at any time resign his membership by letter addressed to the Board, and the resignation shall take effect on the date of receipt of the letter.

(v) The term of office of members of the Control Committee shall be three years but retiring members shall be eligible for reappointment.

(vi) A member of the Control Committee shall, unless he sooner dies, retires or otherwise ceases to be a member, hold office as such member until the expiration of his or her term of office.

The Indecon Report recommends  that the Minister should appoint the members of the Greyhound Racing Control Committee and Control Appeal Committee. My Department is at present preparing the heads of a Bill to respond to some of the recommendations of Indecon. These will include changes in relation to the operation of the Greyhound Racing Control Committee and Control Appeal Committee.