Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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238. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) detailing the sale of an Irish greyhound to China; the action he and the Irish Greyhound Board will take; the route of export of the dog from Ireland to China; and if efforts will be made to repatriate the animal and the 50 other Irish greyhounds now in China in view of the deplorable animal welfare record of China. [42691/19]

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.  

My Department is not in a position to know whether dogs, including greyhounds, that are moved from Ireland to another EU Member State are subsequently exported to a further destination. However, I can confirm that no dog has been certified to travel from Ireland directly to the country in question since 2016. 

The rules covering the movement of all breeds of dogs, including greyhounds, between EU Member States is currently set at a European level rather than as a national measure in isolation.  Bord na gCon have informed me that they are opposed to exports to countries that do not meet Ireland’s welfare standards.  They have also informed me that the greyhound in question was not exported directly to its final destination from Ireland and its journey would have been either via other EU jurisdictions or via the USA.

Bord na gCon has emphasised to the individual in question their responsibilities in exporting to destinations that do not provide the expected levels of greyhound welfare set out in its Code of Practice on the Care and Welfare of the Greyhound and will continue to do so to all other greyhound owners.