Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2015
29. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a list of the types of sanctions imposed on greyhounds that tested positive for banned substances in 2013 and 2014 and to date in 2015; the number of these that consisted of fines; the amount of each fine; the names and quantities of the substances found; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18671/15]
View answerThe control and administration of greyhound racing, including the matters referred to by the Deputy, are a matter for Bord na gCon.
The Control Committee and the Control Appeals Committee of Bord na gCon were established under the Greyhound Industry (Control Committee and Control Appeal Committee) Regulations 2007 (S.I. Number 301 of 2007).
Under that legislation, full details of any laboratory findings can only be published at the conclusion of the proceedings by the Control Committee and the Control Appeals Committee.
I understand from Bord na gCon that in all, a total of 93 Control Committee sanctions were imposed on greyhounds that tested positive for banned substances in 2013, 2014 and 2015. These included 91 monetary fines which ranged from €100 to €2,500 across the 3 years. Regarding monetary fines there were 56 cases in the €100-€150 range, 15 in the €200-€250 range, 6 in the range €300-€400, 5 in the range €500-€750, 9 cases in the range €1,000-€2,500.
In addition, two testing orders were imposed whereby greyhounds in the ownership or care of a transgressor are subjected to sampling for a given period of time when they are presented for racing at stadia.
In 2013, the Control Committee applied 16 sanctions in relation to positive laboratory findings involving 11 different substances.
In 2014, 68 sanctions were applied by the Control Committee arising from positive laboratory findings relating to 23 different substances.
Up to the end of March of this year, the Control Committee applied 12 sanctions in relation to positive laboratory findings involving 9 different substances. [ Full details are supplied in the Annex].
Bord na gCon also informed me that in 2014 sanctions were imposed in relation to the obstruction of a steward (€250), non-co-operation with a steward (€1000), inappropriate behaviour towards a steward (€2,500) and a breach of article 32 of the Racing Regulations 2007 regarding ownership registration (€2500).
In 2015 (to date) there has been one breach regarding alteration of an identity card (€2500).
I understand that BNG is currently conducting a comprehensive review of all aspects relating to integrity, including its sampling and analysis procedures for prohibited substances and medication control. The objective is to strengthen regulation so that the highest standards in relation to integrity are achieved.
Annex
|
Substances |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
Substances |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Acetaminophen |
1 |
7 |
2 |
Hydroxyamphetamin |
1 |
||
|
Amitryptylline |
1 |
Ibuprofen |
2 |
9 |
2 |
||
|
Amphetamine |
2 |
2 |
Ketoprofen |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Caffeine |
2 |
19 |
Lidocaine |
1 |
|||
|
Carprofen |
1 |
1 |
Meloxicam |
2 |
|||
|
Chlorpromozine |
1 |
1 |
Naproxen |
1 |
2 |
||
|
Codeine |
1 |
Nikethamide |
1 |
||||
|
Diclofenac |
1 |
1 |
Nimesulide |
1 |
|||
|
Etamiphylline |
1 |
1 |
Phenylbutazone |
3 |
|||
|
Fixcoxib |
2 |
Phenylpropanolamine |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Flunixin |
1 |
2 |
Piroxicam |
1 |
|||
|
Frusemide |
1 |
Procaine |
4 |
3 |
|||
|
Heptaminol |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Propranolol |
4 |
