Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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454. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his department has addressed the issues highlighted in the Morris report; if the recommendations therein will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33862/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Bord na gCon  is a commercial State body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.

Bord na gCon has informed me that it has systematically worked through the recommendations contained in the Morris Report, addressing those that it can within the current legislative framework. In addition it has introduced out of competition testing at kennels, publication of adverse analytical findings, a prohibition on racing following an adverse analytical finding until the result of the test is negative, together with the publication of Control Committee decisions and the reasons for those decisions.

I will shortly be bringing forward the heads of a greyhound racing bill to address certain aspects of the report and to ensure that the principles of good governance and regulation are clearly and unambiguously laid down in primary legislation.