Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

482. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a fully qualified veterinarian is present at each sports information services greyhound race at tracks here; if drug testing is performed on the racing greyhounds at these events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43524/19]

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 (BnG) has informed me that fully qualified, designated veterinary surgeons are required to attend every race meeting at every greyhound track licensed by BnG, of which there are 16 in the country.

Random sampling is overseen by BnG Control Stewards at each race meeting, with samples then sent to the National Greyhound Laboratory (accredited by INAB) for examination.  Over 4,100 such samples have been examined in the laboratory between January and September 2019.