Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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629. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of the number of persons employed in the greyhound industry in tabular form (details supplied). [34465/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy refers the figures currently available from Bord na gCon (BnG) are based on a report by Jim Power Economic Consultants entitled 'The Economic & Financial Significance of the Irish Greyhound Industry' commissioned by BnG and published in April 2011. These are the most up to date figures available to me. That report indicates that more than 10,000 people are employed directly and indirectly in the greyhound sector and that the wage bill generated by that employment is estimated at approximately €207m per annum.

While the compilation of this data was a major undertaking I am aware that the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has recommended that the exercise be revisited.

I think that this would be useful and I intend arranging a further study of the economic contribution of the industry in due course.