I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time. During the middle and later 1940's greyhound racing in Britain attracted increased support from patrons with a good share of ready money available, and the boom was reflected throughout the greyhound industry in this country from which the dogs were largely obtained; greyhound racing here also attracted increased patronage at that time. Defects in the supervision of the industry were in such circumstances liable to be shown up more clearly, with rather serious resulting abuses appearing, and it became fairly generally accepted that a greater degree of effective control, than that existing under the Irish Coursing Club as already constituted, would be desirable.
By 1950 the Irish Coursing Club itself was putting forward a case for legislation to establish a control board for the greyhound industry on the lines of the Racing Board, which had been established for horse-racing under the Racing Board and Race Courses Act, 1945, and was proving a success. Aspects of the administration of the Irish Coursing Club itself were also being questioned by interests associated with the industry. From the general economic viewpoint the greyhound industry had, as compared with pre-war, assumed considerably more importance—for instance, during the four-year period 1946-49 total exports of greyhounds averaged 8,500 per annum valued at over £800,000, as compared with an average of 2,500 per annum valued at £55,000 during the four-year period 1936-39.
As a preliminary to deciding what action might appropriately be taken, the first step that suggested itself was to obtain a detailed survey of the whole industry and the Advisory Committee on the Greyhound Industry was therefore appointed with terms of reference:
"To ascertain and report on the position respecting coursing, greyhound racing, greyhound breeding and other related activities and such measures, if any, as are considered desirable in the national interest for the better control and development thereof."
The advisory committee presented a forthright and very useful report, for which they deserve due gratitude, and the present legislation is largely based on their recommendations. Since the advisory committee's report was published comments on their analysis of the situation and their suggested improvements have not been wanting and as might be expected while the various branches of the industry are naturally anxious for its general welfare each branch has its own special interests and problems particularly in mind, so that divergence of opinion on some matters is understandable.
The development of commercial greyhound racing in Britain and this country since the later 1920's has of course given rise to the major problems in the industry. The advisory committee's report (paragraph 51) says in relation to greyhound racing:—
"On the introduction of the sport to Ireland, the question of control became an immediate problem. The Irish Coursing Club supervised coursing but there was some difference of opinion amongst members as to whether the club should undertake the supervision of the new sport. A special meeting of the club was convened to consider the matter, and with few dissentients it was formally decided to undertake supervision of greyhound racing and to formulate appropriate rules in this connection. The wisdom of this decision has been questioned in many quarters. From the national viewpoint, however, it was desirable that greyhound racing, as well as coursing, should be supervised by some central authority and provided the subsequent control exercised by the Irish Coursing Club were entirely effective, the decision might have been justified. This additional task, however, placed too great a strain on the Irish Coursing Club which as a result found itself unable to cope effectively with the abuses which gradually became prevalent in the sport."
As regards the constitution of the Irish Coursing Club—which, at the time the advisory committee reported, comprised a maximum membership of 194 representative members (that is one member representing each coursing club and track) and 100 elected members (that is members elected at general meetings of the club by a two thirds vote from amongst consistent supporters of greyhound coursing who are registered greyhound owners)—the advisory committee pointed out that the representative members, especially of coursing clubs, did not exert the influence they should in the affairs of the club. Paragraph 99 of the advisory committee's report says:—
"Conflicting view have been expressed by witnesses as to the reasons for this apathy amongst coursing clubs. It has been asserted on behalf of the clubs that nonattendance at Irish Coursing Club meetings was because their representatives felt they exerted no influence whatever; and that matters coming before the general body were in fact already decided by the standing committee and with the support of the ‘elected' element would be assured of approval, notwithstanding any views to the contrary held by ordinary representatives. Other witnesses maintained that the apathy was due to the fact that the representatives of coursing clubs often had little experience and that in any event they were mainly concerned in promoting the interests of their own particular clubs. It is true that many clubs are formed mainly for the purpose of organising a coursing meeting and apart from this have little interest. It is equally true, however, that unless coursing clubs themselves are prepared to participate more actively in Irish Coursing Club affairs, any scheme of reorganisation will fail. It is, accordingly, our hope that coursing clubs will in future take a more lively interest in the affairs of the industry as a whole and that a reorganised Irish Coursing Club will give them all possible encouragement in this direction."
The major recommendations of the advisory committee dealt with the foregoing two matters, namely, the provision of adequate supervision of greyhound racing and allied activities, so as to eliminate abuses, and the internal organisation of the Irish Coursing Club.
As regards greyhound racing, the advisory committee recommended that the control of greyhound racing and of all matters directly connected therewith should be assigned to a statutory control board. As regards the reorganisation of the Irish Coursing Club —which it was suggested should in future deal with the routine work associated with the greyhound industry, particularly breeding and coursing, subject to such overriding authority as might be exercised by the control board—the advisory committee recommended that the club's membership should comprise one representative member from each coursing club and racing track, with ten co-opted members to replace the existing maximum of 100 elected members; and that the standing committee of the club (a proportion of which has been appointed yearly in rotation from amongst both representative members and elected members of the club at the annual general meetings) should be replaced by an executive committee of representative members only, appointed on a proportionate basis by provincial committees—the provincial committees comprising the representative members in each province.
One-third of the members so appointed from each province to the executive committee would retire yearly in rotation. It was also recommended that the members of the executive committee elected from each province should include club representatives in at least the proportion which the number of coursing clubs in the province would bear to the combined number of coursing clubs and racing tracks in the province.
The Bill, in Part II, provides for the establishment of the Greyhound Industry Board consisting of seven members (the maximum recommended by the advisory committee) to be appointed by the Minister for Agriculture after consultation with the Minister for Finance. Four of the six ordinary members, i.e., excluding the chairman, would be appointed by the Minister on the first occasion from amongst the members of the standing committee, and thereafter from amongst the members of the executive committee of the Irish Coursing Club. If the representatives of the standing committee or the executive committee on the board should fail to secure appointment as members of the executive committee under the revised Irish Coursing Club constitution they would thereby cease to be members of the board and would be replaced by eligible members.
Although the advisory committee did not favour direct representation of particular interests on the board, the case made subsequently by the standing committee of the Irish Coursing Club for representation on the same lines as applies to the Racing Board for horses, where six of the 11 members appointed must be members of the Turf Club or the National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, did not appear unreasonable. Co-ordination between the board and the Irish Coursing Club will be necessary in a large degree if the board is to function smoothly and efficiently; and, of course, the reorganisation of the Irish Coursing Club itself is designed to ensure that its executive committee will have the full confidence of the industry at all times.
Part III of the Bill provides for the licensing of greyhound racetracks by the board and for regulations by the board to cover all matters in relation to tracks and greyhound racing. Provision is also made for rules by the Irish Coursing Club in relation to the functioning of tracks and greyhound racing; here again the standing committee of the Irish Coursing Club appeared to make a reasonable case, subsequent to the advisory committee's report, for retaining purely disciplinary functions in regard to racing as well as breeding and coursing because of the close inter-connection of these in many respects, as well as the further important point made by the club that its racing rules apply to the Six County licensed tracks affiliated to it and that the club's position in that respect should not therefore be prejudiced by its ceasing to be recognised as a rule-making authority for racing in the Twenty-Six Counties. Under the Bill, rules made by the club must, in any event, be with the consent of the board.
Part IV of the Bill concerns the reconstitution and future status of the Irish Coursing Club. Subject to the general authority of the board, the reconstituted Irish Coursing Club will be statutorily recognised as the controlling body for greyhound breeding and coursing matters, and the club's revised constitution is attached as a Schedule to the Bill. Under the new constitution each coursing club and racetrack will, as previously, appoint one representative from the club and track to be a member of the Irish Coursing Club, but the previous maximum of 100 elected members, i.e., elected at general meetings of the Irish Coursing Club will be reduced to 50 as soon as the number of existing elected members falls with the passage of time to that level. These elected members will in future be known as co-opted members.
The advisory committee recommended a maximum of only ten co-opted members, but, in connection with revision of the club's constitution, the Irish Coursing Club representatives very strongly desired that the number should not be reduced below 50. These elected or co-opted members are drawn from prominent supporters of coursing whose advice and experience are considered to be of special value to the club. There have, as the advisory committee mentioned, been criticisms that the elected members exercised undue influence in the past as compared with the representative members appointed by the individual clubs and tracks, but there should be no danger of this under the revised constitution.
The co-opted members will only have a vote at general meetings of the club, where they are greatly outnumbered by the representative members and the co-opted members will not be eligible either to become themselves, or to vote at provincial committee meetings for election of, the members of the executive committee of the club.
The principles of the revised constitution are otherwise generally in accord with the advisory committee's recommendations. In particular, only representative members of clubs or tracks may be appointed to the executive committee and the number appointed from each province must include coursing club representatives to at least the proportion which the number of coursing clubs in the province bears to the total number of clubs and tracks in the province; the appointments will be made by the provincial committees in proportion to the total number of clubs and tracks in the respective provinces, and only representative members may vote at meetings of the provincial committees.
Part V of the Bill, dealing with course-betting permits for bookmakers and levies in respect of course bets, follows the lines of Part III of the 1954 Act concerning horse-racing except that its operation is subject to ministerial Order from time to time, as the possibility is allowed for that, instead of a levy on course bets, there may be substituted a special admission charge on bookmakers payable to the board under sub-sections (4) and (7) of Section 48 in Part VI of the Bill. Such special admission charges would of course be in addition to the admission charges payable to the tracks or clubs holding the meetings, and under sub-section (1) of Section 48 the board would have power to control the over-all charges. Under the 1945 Act concerning horse-racing, the maximum admission charge to bookmakers is fixed at five times the charge to members of the public and it has been represented on behalf of greyhound bookmakers, especially the smaller ones, that the same limitation should apply in their case. The present charges to greyhound bookmakers are substantially in excess of five times the charges to spectators and the greyhound tracks appear to think that the same limitation as for horse-racing would involve them in losses. It has been deemed the best course to leave it to the board to go into the matter fully and decide what is fairest to all concerned from time to time. It may be said in particular that the board will be expected to protect at all times the legitimate interests of the small bookmakers who be subject to a betting levy or to a special admission charge in lieu thereof.
There will also be the operation of totalisators by the Greyhound Industry Board, as provided for in Section 20 and Section 40 of the Bill. The advisory committee suggested the installation of totalisators by the board, first at the Dublin tracks and later at the Cork and Limerick tracks; this appears a very reasonable proposition. The board should derive a fair part of its income in the course of time from the totalisators, but for some period at least a course-betting levy is considered unavoidable. The advisory committee suggested a levy of 2½ per cent. in the first year and 1¼ per cent. thereafter. The board's regulations under Section 32 prescribing the amount of the levy will require the consent of the Minister, and it may be said at this stage that, having regard to the interests of the small bookmakers, the intention is that in the first year the levy should also not be more than 1¼ per cent.