Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2015
320. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline his views on the circumstances which prompted a Minister of State (details supplied) to make a statement of regret to Seanad Éireann on 16 December 2014 further to having previously made factually incorrect statements to the House regarding a former member of the Irish Greyhound Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24940/15]
View answerMy colleague, Minister of State Hayes addressed Seanad Éireann on the 19th February 2014 in his capacity as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The matters under discussion involved the Greyhound industry and matters relating to Bord na gCon. In the course of Minister Hayes’ address he made reference to a former Board member of Bord na gCon. Subsequently the Minister received correspondence from the former board member in question pointing out some factual inaccuracies in his address to Seanad Eireann. On reflection, Minister Hayes accepted that there were some factual inaccuracies in the disputed address and he therefore undertook to correct the Record of the House by means of a statement which he made in Seanad Éireann on the 16th December 2014. In this statement the Minister acknowledged the inaccuracies in his earlier address to the Seanad on the 19th February 2014 and he expressed his regret to the individual concerned and stated he was happy to correct the record in this regard.
