Bríd Smith
Question:716. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for classifying greyhounds as farm animals. [2845/21]
View answerWednesday, 20 January 2021
Questions (716)
Written answers
Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) 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. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
For welfare purposes Section 2(1) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act, 2013 (the Act), defines “farm animals” as, among other qualifiers “(b) for use in, or for the purposes of, breeding, sport or the farming of land,”.
The Act does not specifically refer to greyhound classification. However, it can be interpreted that those involved in sporting activities, as opposed to domestic pets, are classed as farm animals.