Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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96. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1418 of 6 September 2019, if his attention has been drawn to the issue that the claim that a greyhound suffered a heart attack at Shelbourne Park is at variance with an eye witness report (details supplied). [41935/19]

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 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 is aware of a greyhound fatality at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium on Saturday, 17 August 2019. Following racing, the greyhound and his handler left the track and made their way to the car park. The greyhound then collapsed and the veterinary surgeon on duty at the track immediately left the examination room and attended to the greyhound at the scene. Examinations indicate that the greyhound passed away due to a cardiovascular problem. Instances of fatalities in greyhounds at stadia are extremely rare and are regrettable when they do occur, with best veterinary care and advice followed in each case.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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97. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds buried in the grounds of Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium; if this practice was approved by the Irish Greyhound Board; if dogs continue to be buried there; and the procedure for incidents involving dogs that die at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium and other IGB tracks. [41936/19]

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 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 no knowledge of greyhounds buried on the grounds of Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium.

The bodies of greyhounds that pass away or are euthanised at all Bord na gCon licensed stadia are collected and disposed of by incineration. This practice is done by persons authorised under the EU (Animal –By-Products) Regulations 2014 in accordance with Article 12 of the European Parliament and Council Regulations No 1069/2009.

Sudden deaths of greyhounds at tracks are extremely rare and, where they do occur, the designated veterinary surgeon on duty decides whether a detailed post-mortem examination is required. In such instances, organ/tissue samples are submitted to a veterinary laboratory for further investigation.