Greyhound Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2016

Thursday, 5 May 2016

Questions (25)

Clare Daly

Question:

25. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to investigate reports that Irish greyhounds are being exported to Hong Kong in order to be raced at the track known as the Canidrome in Macau in China and to immediately take steps to halt such exports, given the decision in 2012 by the Irish Government to halt the export of greyhounds to China by Bord na gCon on animal welfare grounds given the very poor animal safety record of the Canidrome, and given that Australia's greyhound body has banned the export of greyhounds to Macau because it does not meet contemporary animal welfare standards. [9204/16]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Once appropriate animal health and welfare certification requirements are met, dogs, including greyhounds, may be exported internationally. Exporters are also required to comply with the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1 of 2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has recently advised all owners involved in the export of greyhounds to only export to destinations that provide the expected levels of care and management as defined in the IGB's Code of Practice for the welfare of greyhounds.