Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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37. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will intervene in the impasse between greyhound owners and Bord na gCon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12202/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, 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.

I accept that there are tensions between some greyhound owners and Bord na gCon and of course this is regrettable. The sector faces a number of significant challenges and it is widely acknowledged that there need to be improvements in finance, governance and regulation in the sector. These issues are well flagged in the Indecon Report, which was commissioned by my predecessor, which made a number of recommendations in relation to these matters.  Bord na gCon is endeavouring to implement these recommendations, some of which may  involve difficult decisions.

In so far as governance and regulation are concerned, I am pleased to say that Cabinet has approved the draft general scheme of the new Greyhound Industry Bill, which addresses the governance of Bord na gCon, strengthens regulatory controls in the industry, modernises sanctions and improves integrity with a view to building a reputation for exceptional regulation in the sector.

I look forward to working with the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on this, when the Heads of the Bill are brought to pre legislative scrutiny.  I am confident that with a collaborative approach to finalising the Bill, we can together make a real contribution to laying down a solid legal framework for the development of the sector.

On the question of improving the financial performance of the sector and reducing Bord na gCon's significant debt burden, there are no easy answers. While Indecon made a number of recommendations in this regard, the sale of assets, including Harold's Cross Stadium, was a central recommendation. Bord na gCon has already disposed of the old Henry Street Head Office in Limerick and recently announced the closure of Harold's Cross Stadium. The operation of greyhound stadia is a matter for the Board.

I understand from Bord na gCon that this was a very difficult decision, taken against the very challenging background I have outlined above.  It has led to understandable concern among supporters of Harold's Cross Stadium, and in this regard I understand that an effort at mediation between Dublin GOBA and Bord na gCon, under the chairmanship of Mr. Kieran Mulvey, is at present underway.