Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020
849. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to stop the export of greyhounds from Ireland to countries with no welfare laws; and if a club (details supplied) and its records will be investigated. [42014/20]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann 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. Rásaíocht Con Éireann is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) has been the keeper for the Irish Greyhound Stud Book since 1923. Details of the ownership of greyhounds, are kept in the Stud Book.
With regard to the exportation of greyhounds, rules covering the movement of all breeds of dogs, including greyhounds, between EU Member States are set at a European level. My Department does not certify exports directly to Pakistan.
Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) has informed this Department that it is opposed to exports to countries that do not meet Ireland’s welfare standards. RCÉ emphasises to owners their responsibilities in exporting to any destination and the necessity to ensure that the receiving destination provides the expected levels of greyhound welfare set out in its Code of Practice on the care and welfare of greyhounds. I fully endorse this view. In addition, the International Greyhound Forum continues to give consideration to issues relating to the export of greyhounds.
The Irish Coursing Club (ICC) has confirmed to my department that the owner of Granard Swift complied with Section 10 (1) of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011.
The ICC was notified that the greyhound was rehomed to the USA and this is recorded on its database.
All notified ‘rehomed’ or ‘retired-as-pet’ greyhounds’ default to a generic code on the ICC On-line Registration system which populates the county/country field. In all instances where a greyhound is notified as ‘rehomed’ or ‘retired as pet’, Tipperary is the default county as the ICC head office is based there.
The circumstances surrounding the subsequent re-export of the greyhound to Pakistan are being investigated by RCÉ and will be notified to my Department.
