Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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839. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the animal welfare commitments associated with the €96 million Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41820/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.  Similarly, Rásaíocht Con Éireann 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.  Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. 

RCÉ as part of its Strategic Plan 2018-2022 has as a clear objective the maintaining of animal welfare at the centre of the industry.  RCÉ established a Care Fund in July 2019 which is dedicated to care and welfare programmes for the racing greyhound.  Measures taken to date as part of that programme include:

The opening of the first Care Centre in Thurles in July 2020 which will act as a half-way house between the end of a racing career and the placing of the greyhound in its ‘forever home’.  The centre will allow greyhounds to be socialised and for interested parties to consider the fostering or adoption of a greyhound in such a setting.

The implementation of an extensive rehoming programme with 1470 greyhounds rehomed in 2020 to end November with assistance from the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, an entity established by RCÉ.  

The introduction of a financial incentive for all domestic rehomings to encourage further rehoming in Ireland.

The implementation of a Foster-to-adopt Scheme.

The operation of an Injuries at Track Financial Support Scheme whereby funding is available to address injuries sustained to racing greyhounds to ensure that they can be retired from greyhound racing.

The establishing of a confidential phone line/email through which any welfare issues can be reported on a 24/7 basis. All reports are fully investigated by RCÉ welfare staff.

The full utilisation of the Exclusion Order process whereby a party can be excluded from being on a greyhound racing track. 

The updating of the Code of Practice for the Care and Welfare of the Greyhound which has been the subject of a public consultation process.  The Code is provided for under Section 6 of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011.

The continuing of an intense testing regime both at race events and through out of competition testing.  The urine sampling regime has been expanded in 2020 to also cover on a periodic basis blood sampling.  Work is also underway in terms of the necessary protocols to implement further enhancements of the testing regime through hair sampling.

RCÉ implemented a Covid-19 Care Payment Scheme during the period of suspension of racing activity from March to June 2020.  Some €998,000 was paid under the scheme to ensure that the welfare needs of the racing greyhound were met during a period when racing activity was suspended.

In addition, as part of the conditions attached to the allocation of the Horse & Greyhound Racing Fund RCÉ is obliged to commit 10% of the fund towards welfare and integrity measures.  This would include measures in relation to regulation, testing, laboratory and other aspects of activity that will improve the welfare and integrity approach of RCÉ. 

The entire allocation to Horse Racing Ireland under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund relates to animal welfare on the basis that a healthy industry which values its participants will always have the best welfare outcomes. 

While owners have direct responsibility for the care and well-being of their horses, they do so as participants in a vibrant industry which requires the animals to be healthy and well looked after. Distribution of funding to prize money, racecourse facilities, integrity services etc directly contributes to the care of horses. 

Money is allocated to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, the Irish Equine Centre, the Irish Horse Welfare Trust which directly improves the care and welfare of horses, while funding provided for stable staff is also linked to good standards of care for horses.