Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

188. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the recommendations of the report on the greyhound industry by the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine that have been implemented to date; the recommendations of the report that have yet to be implemented; the reason for the delay in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49648/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Bord na gCon has informed me that it has systematically worked through the recommendations contained in the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine report, addressing those that it can within the current legislative framework.

I have introduced the new 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. 

The draft General Scheme of the Bill has progressed through the pre-legislative scrutiny phase.  It is hoped that a memorandum will go to Government in the coming weeks, which will request approval to publish the updated General Scheme and to submit it to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for drafting.