Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2019
97. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds buried in the grounds of Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium; if this practice was approved by the Irish Greyhound Board; if dogs continue to be buried there; and the procedure for incidents involving dogs that die at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium and other IGB tracks. [41936/19]
View answerBord na gCon 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. Bord na gCon is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Bord na gCon has informed me that it has no knowledge of greyhounds buried on the grounds of Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium.
The bodies of greyhounds that pass away or are euthanised at all Bord na gCon licensed stadia are collected and disposed of by incineration. This practice is done by persons authorised under the EU (Animal –By-Products) Regulations 2014 in accordance with Article 12 of the European Parliament and Council Regulations No 1069/2009.
Sudden deaths of greyhounds at tracks are extremely rare and, where they do occur, the designated veterinary surgeon on duty decides whether a detailed post-mortem examination is required. In such instances, organ/tissue samples are submitted to a veterinary laboratory for further investigation.
