Written answers
Tuesday, 15 December 2020
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Greyhound Industry
Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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652. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of racing greyhound litters registered annually with an organisation (details supplied) between 1 January 2010 and 30 November 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42996/20]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Coursing Club is the organisation charged by statute since 1923 with the role of Keeper of the Irish Stud Book. The stud book records pedigrees, ownerships, breeding data and transfers of ownership primarily. TheIrish Coursing Club is subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann.
Data provided by the Irish Coursing Club indicate the following data in respect of litters from 2010 – to end November 2020. Litters registered include all greyhounds, thereby incoporating greyhounds that will ultimately race.
| Year | Litters |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3,003 |
| 2011 | 3,272 |
| 2012 | 2,980 |
| 2013 | 2,736 |
| 2014 | 2,801 |
| 2015 | 2,709 |
| 2016 | 2,520 |
| 2017 | 2,441 |
| 2018 | 2,344 |
| 2019 | 2,324 |
Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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653. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of racing greyhound pups registered annually for racing with an organisation (details supplied) between 1 January 2010 and 30 November 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42997/20]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Coursing Club is the organisation charged by statute since 1923 with the role of Keeper of the Irish Stud Book. The stud book records pedigrees, ownerships, breeding data and transfers of ownership primarily.
TheIrish Coursing Club is subject to the general control and direction of Rásaíocht Con Éireann. Greyhounds are required to be named with the Club and the table below sets out details of greyhounds named over the period 2010 – 2019.
It should be noted that the number of greyhounds named includes all greyhounds. Greyhounds that go on to be racing greyhounds comprise an element of the overall namings notified to the Irish Coursing Club.
| Year | Namings |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 16,467 |
| 2011 | 15,908 |
| 2012 | 16,224 |
| 2013 | 15,575 |
| 2014 | 14,898 |
| 2015 | 15,388 |
| 2016 | 13,987 |
| 2017 | 13,649 |
| 2018 | 13,327 |
| 2019 | 12,793 |
Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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654. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of racing greyhounds microchipped annually between 1 January 2010 and 30 November 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42998/20]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) 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. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. RCÉ is not authorised to microchip greyhounds.
The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) has been the keeper for the Irish Greyhound Stud Book since 1923.
Microchipping for dogs commenced on 1st September 2015 and MicrodogID and other authorised parties hold information on more than one breed.
| Year | Namings |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 16,467 |
| 2011 | 15,908 |
| 2012 | 16,224 |
| 2013 | 15,575 |
| 2014 | 14,898 |
| 2015 | 15,388 |
| 2016 | 13,987 |
| 2017 | 13,649 |
| 2018 | 13,327 |
| 2019 | 12,793 |
Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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655. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds registered on the race management system annually between 1 January 2010 and 30 November 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42999/20]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) 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. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Data relating the greyhound dog pool at final dog pool count at year end 2010 – 2020 is set out in the table below. RCÉ has informed my Department, that given the nature of the process, there is an element of fluidity in relation to such data as greyhounds enter, leave and re-enter the system and, therefore, it does not compile details of greyhounds registered on the Race Management System on an annual basis.
| Year | Greyhound Dog Pool at Final Dog Pool Count at Year End |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5,675 |
| 2011 | 5,317 |
| 2012 | 4,681 |
| 2013 | 4,116 |
| 2014 | 4,134 |
| 2015 | 3,876 |
| 2016 | 4,008 |
| 2017 | 3,616 |
| 2018 | 3,642 |
| 2019 | 3,829 |
| 2020 | 4,850 (at 2nd December) |
Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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656. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if greyhound racing trainers who have been banned from racing greyhounds in other jurisdictions are permitted to train and race greyhounds in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43000/20]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) 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. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
RCÉ operates under the Greyhound Racing Acts 1958 – 2019 and regulations made thereunder. In addition, the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 and the Animal Health and Welfare Act of 2013 also apply to greyhound racing. No transfer of sanctions is imposed by RCÉ from another racing jurisdiction within Irish greyhound racing. It is a matter for the appropriate regulatory authorities to assess the circumstances of any particular case, apply due process and deal with any issues arising as part of the statutory framework governing greyhound racing in Ireland.
RCÉ has informed my Department that it has undertaken such processes in recent years. Such actions have been challenged in the High Court and Court of Appeal but have been upheld by both courts.
Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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657. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of recorded injuries and deaths of greyhounds that have occurred at greyhound racing stadiums and events organised by the Irish Greyhound Board between 1 January 2011 and 30 November 2020, in tabular form. [43001/20]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) 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. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The table attached sets out details of injuries and deaths relating to racing greyhounds for the period July 2014 to October 2020. This data is published by RCÉ on a periodic basis.
Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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658. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the forthcoming greyhound traceability system will record racing greyhounds from birth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43002/20]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) 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. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) has been the keeper for the Irish Greyhound Stud Book since 1923.
The registering of any greyhound currently lies with the ICC as the keepers of the Irish Stud Book. The function of the ICC is provided for in legislation and all greyhounds regardless of their future involvement in any activity must be registered by way of registration of the litter with the ICC.
RCÉ is mandated with the responsibility for greyhound racing and racing greyhounds. The traceability system being devised by RCÉ will track racing greyhounds from birth through key life stages up to retirement/rehoming. Where a greyhound is presented for racing, the greyhound will be tracked on the traceability system through all life stages including birth, microchipping, registration, racing career, changes of ownership/trainer, location, export, retirement and end of life.
RCÉ will receive a data feed from the ICC in relation to racing greyhounds that have been microchipped under the microchipping regulations. Microchipping of a greyhound is a mandatory requirement. This data feed will capture details of location, ownership, pedigree, sex and whelp date.
The welfare of racing greyhounds is a key priority of mine and funding to the sector is predicated on the highest animal welfare standards.
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