Written answers

Wednesday, 27 November 2019

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Bord na gCon Funding

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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55. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will direct Bord na gCon to increase its funding to an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48912/19]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael 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 contributed €106,000 to the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust’s total income of €242,000 in 2018, with 2% of all winning prize money also going towards the IRGT. 1,021 retired greyhounds were rehomed with IRGT assistance in 2018, both here in Ireland and abroad.

Recently, in an effort to increase and promote domestic greyhound rehomings, the IRGT, supported by Bord na gCon, confirmed an increase in financial support to private rehoming agencies for the rehoming of retired racing greyhounds in Ireland. Rehoming agencies will now be offered an additional €100 per retired greyhound rehomed in Ireland to encourage and further facilitate domestic rehomings. This support assists with the veterinary costs involved in preparing a retired greyhound for rehoming, neutering/spaying, a rabies shot and other vaccinations and inoculations.

In August 2019, Bord na gCon announced the establishment of a separate Care Fund dedicated to funding a variety of initiatives for the care and welfare of the greyhound, including various rehoming initiatives in conjunction with the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust.

It is estimated that a sum of €740,000 will be generated for the Care Fund in 2020, with a percentage of admission and restaurant entries, Tote income and existing sponsorship money accruing the total sum. This combined with the funding generated in the latter part of 2019 will ensure a dedicated fund in excess of €1 million for care and welfare initiatives throughout next year.

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