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Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 May 2022

Priorities for the Greyhound Industry: Rásaíocht Con Éireann

The second session will examine the strategic priorities for Rásaíocht Con Éireann, Greyhound Racing Ireland. We will hear from Ms Dearbhla O'Brien, chief executive officer; Mr. Frank Nyhan, chairperson; Mr. Pat Herbert, director of regulation; and Mr. William Fitzgerald, veterinary director.

Before we begin, I want to bring to witnesses' attention the matter of privilege. Witnesses giving evidence within the parliamentary precincts are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to a committee. This means that witnesses have a full defence in any defamation action for anything said at the committee meeting. However, witnesses are expected not to abuse this privilege and may be directed to cease giving evidence on an issue at the Chair's direction. Witnesses should follow the direction of the Chair in this regard and they are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that, as is reasonable, no adverse commentary should be made against an identifiable third person or entity. Witnesses who give evidence from locations outside the parliamentary precincts are asked to note that they may not benefit from the same level of immunity from legal proceedings as witnesses giving evidence from within the parliamentary precincts and may consider it appropriate to take legal advice on this matter. Privilege against defamation does not apply to the publication by witnesses, outside of the proceedings held by the committee, of any matters arising from the proceedings.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against either a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way that could make him or her identifiable. Parliamentary privilege is considered to apply to the utterances of members participating online in the committee meeting when their participation is from within the parliamentary precincts. There can be no assurances in relation to participation online from outside the parliamentary precincts and members should be mindful of this when contributing.

I now call on Ms O'Brien to make her opening statement.

Ms Dearbhla O'Brien

On behalf of Rásaíocht Con Éireann, RCÉ, and the wider greyhound racing industry, I thank the Chairman and members for the opportunity to address the committee today. I am accompanied by Mr. Frank Nyhan, chairperson of the board of RCÉ; Pat Herbert who is director of regulation; and William Fitzgerald who is veterinary director.

I wish to begin by acknowledging the staff of RCÉ, the approximately 6,000 trainers and owners across Ireland, and the wider greyhound community for their commitment and hard work during what has been a difficult period for the industry. As with many sectors of society, the pandemic presented unprecedented economic and organisational challenges. Income generated from gate admissions, tote operations, restaurant facilities and other areas were effectively decimated and like other sporting organisations across the country, RCÉ greatly benefited from Government supports. On behalf of the board and the wider greyhound racing community, I acknowledge the Minister’s ongoing support for our industry. These supports ensured that while tracks were closed to the public, racing still continued but more importantly, it ensured that RCÉ was able to continue expanding the range of care and welfare initiatives it operates.

As a newly-appointed CEO, my focus and the focus of the board is for Ireland to rank number one globally in delivering best-in-class welfare programmes and care standards for racing greyhounds. No healthy greyhound should have its life ended prematurely. As the industry regulator, this requires acting upon solid data and responding with a zero-tolerance approach to breaches of welfare. We also wish to restore commercial activities post Covid and in the medium term to develop a right-sized industry model for the sport that fits the country and delivers best value for our largest shareholder, the Irish taxpayer.

I am sorry but I need to go to the Dáil Chamber for a vote and Senator Lombard will take the Chair.

Senator Tim Lombard took the Chair.

Ms Dearbhla O'Brien

Attendances need to be restored with enjoyment and distribution of the sport structured such that is serves both rural and local communities while regaining its place as an urban and tourist attraction. We also need to restore and rebuild the image and perception of greyhound racing in Ireland. Armed with facts and the right welfare and care initiatives, we need to debunk much of the negative image and perceptions attached to the industry- some deserved and some misplaced.

As CEO, I want to impress upon committee members today that care and welfare remains the priority of the board and that RCÉ and the greyhound industry are making significant strides forward in this area. For example, 2021 marked the first year of operation of the Rásaíocht Con Éireann traceability system, RCÉTS, which ensures that the status of all racing greyhounds is available at any given time.

Under this new system, registered greyhounds are tracked through all stages of life including birth, microchipping, racing career, changes of ownership, location, export, retirement and end of life. Owners, trainers and breeders are required to maintain an accurate record on the traceability system through direct notifications on the RCÉTS web portal and mobile app every 42 days. This period of every 42 days is key. Compliance is mandatory for every greyhound owner or trainer who wishes to enter any greyhound in their care in a race or a trial at an RCÉ track. No compliance means no racing with no exception. Automated suspensions were introduced on 15 January this year.

In 2021, 23,760 greyhounds were subject to traceability on RCÉTS. Of this figure, 18,538 greyhounds were active, which means a status of currently racing or trialling was assigned to them. A total of 5,222 greyhounds were inactive, which means they have stopped racing or trialling activity in Ireland. Of this 5,222 figure, RCÉ can now report on and categorise the inactive greyhound by status of exported, rehomed, retained as pet and deceased.

The numbers of recorded deaths can also be further extrapolated to capture general cause of death.

The system allows for a proper and clear analysis based on facts, not assumptions, and gives RCÉ proper data upon which it can enforce its recently expanded legislative powers. The success of this system means that apart from cattle, racing greyhounds are now the most regulated and tracked animal on the island of Ireland. That point is worth reiterating. RCÉTS has led to an increase in directed and focused inspections. In 2021, 1,221 welfare inspections were carried out, with 914 having been carried out to the end of April 2022. A record 2,000 inspections are planned by the end of this year, which compares with 615 inspections in total in 2019. These inspections are both random and targeted. In 2021, ten welfare notices and 82 fixed penalties issued, with 62 fixed penalties having issued so far this year. This compares with four fixed-penalty notices in 2020. The second phase of the traceability system, which is in development, will add further functionality and reporting to the system, including a microchip-scanning project, the recording of injury data and the uploading of veterinary certificates. While RCÉ is authorised to regulate in the jurisdiction of Ireland only, it is our aim to build on the successful delivery of RCÉTS by using the valuable information collated together with regular information exchanges with our counterpart organisation in the UK, which is a significant destination market for Irish greyhounds.

The continued expansion of RCÉTS coincides with the development and further improvement of a range of other welfare and care programmes, including the greyhound care fund, which is dedicated to a variety of initiatives for the care and welfare of the greyhound. The fund receives 50% of the proceeds from all current sponsorship obtained by RCÉ, 10% of all admissions and restaurant packages and 5% of net tote income. RCÉ spends well in excess of the Government-stipulated 10% of the Horse and Greyhound Fund on welfare. In 2022, we have budgeted to spend more than € 3.6 million on welfare and traceability, up from €2.2 million in 2019.

Greyhound Racing Ireland, GRI, operates a range of foster care initiatives supporting foster care homes, of which there are currently six, which care for 135 greyhounds as of May, and two new greyhound care centres, which are under negotiation following a tender process. RCÉ operates and funds the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, IRGT, a registered charity that provides rehoming opportunities for greyhounds both domestically and internationally via direct placement and by providing financial assistance to private rehoming agencies. In 2021, the IRGT rehomed 2,234 greyhounds, a 25% increase on 2020’s rehoming figure of 1,775. A total of 422 greyhounds were rehomed with the trust in the UK in 2021. The IRGT has also recently made arrangements with reputable US rehoming agencies that will place a number of greyhounds from Ireland, namely, Greyhound Pets of America, Finding Loving Irish Greyhound Homes Together & Salukis, FLIGHTS, and Flying Irish Greyhounds, some of which have decided to pay 100% of the costs of transport.

Despite the great work of the IRGT, rehoming is becoming increasingly challenging, as all animal welfare agencies are finding. This is in part due to the war in Ukraine and the return to work for millions of people throughout Europe post pandemic. While greyhounds make for wonderful family pets, RCÉ will continue to advocate and educate such that responsibility for the greyhound is, ultimately, with its owner, who must be prepared to care for the greyhound for the entirety of its life and beyond its racing career. We plan to bring forward initiatives, both educationally and practically, that will reinforce this responsibility.

RCÉ this year announced a significant expansion of existing supports for seriously injured greyhounds, including the serious injury scheme and the dental assistance scheme, and next week we will launch a new kennel improvement scheme providing financial assistance for the upgrading of kennels. In late 2021, RCÉ launched a new code of practice, approved by the Minister, that applies to any person who keeps, breeds, rears, trains, races, trades or transports a greyhound in Ireland.

The laboratory analysis of samples obtained from greyhounds is an integral part of integrity and welfare programs within RCÉ. I am delighted to report a marked decreasing trend in regard to adverse analytical findings reported over the six-year period to 2021. In 2021, 4,859 samples were analysed by the Irish National Accreditation Board, INAB, with 13, or 0.27%, adverse analytical findings, down from 29 adverse analytical findings, or 0.54%, in 2017. This indicates a well-regulated sport that takes its integrity responsibilities very seriously regarding doping and medication control through the implementation of a multifaceted approach to testing activity.

To assist RCÉ in fulfilling its mandate as regulator of the racing greyhound sector, updated legislation has begun to be enacted. RCÉ urges that the current statutory instrument legislating that euthanasia of a greyhound must be carried out by a veterinary practitioner, which is currently before the Minister, be adopted as soon as possible and that amendments to regulations, as submitted by RCÉ under the Greyhound Racing Act 2019, be amended accordingly. We want to raise the greyhound racing industry to a new level whereby the culture of care and welfare is such that no healthy greyhound will have its life ended prematurely and with the correct legislative tools, we can do this.

Aside from further expanding our care and welfare schemes, RCÉ’s focus in 2022 is to get attendance levels back up at our tracks and to offer entertainment as a destination tourism attraction, as much as it is a place of pride for the local greyhound owner and enthusiast. Work is under way on a new five-year strategic plan that will build on the significant developments under care and welfare, in addition to developing a racing model that is economically viable and scaled appropriately for the country and its population and that brings back the buzz. We are delighted to announce that this year, the Irish Derby will once again be broadcast live on national TV from Shelbourne Park, returning the sport to its rightful place.

While the industry needs restructuring, it also needs investment in key capital projects such as Shelbourne Park, which is to greyhound racing what Croke Park is to the GAA. The board of RCÉ has unanimously affirmed its long-term intention to retain greyhound racing at this historic site and has committed to delivering capital improvements that will enhance the stadium and the track for the people. Plans and designs for this state-of-the-art investment are under way, with works expected to commence in early 2023.

Why should investments such as this matter? Apart from the sport’s deep roots in communities throughout the country, greyhound racing is also a significant net contributor to the economy. A report compiled by consultant economist Jim Power and published by RCÉ in July 2021 shows that our industry made a net contribution to the economy of €132.3 million in 2019 and supported 4,150 full-time and part-time jobs. An additional 6,211 active greyhound owners derived economic benefit from the industry in 2019, the last full year of activity before the pandemic. An investment of a further €117.8 million was made by greyhound owners in 2019 in preparing and racing greyhounds. This is significant expenditure, and much of it is injected into local economies and supports thousands of local jobs. Wagering activity on greyhounds contributes to the overall betting levy collected by the Exchequer. This levy was increased from 1% to 2% in 2019, resulting in a return to the Exchequer of €95 million in that year. Furthermore, an estimated €8 million per year was raised at greyhound meetings for worthy causes prior to the pandemic.

In a post-Covid world, greyhound racing is seeking to re-establish itself as a significant vehicle for fundraising for sporting organisations such as GAA clubs and charitable causes. As I previously indicated, our industry will continue to face difficult challenges as the country exits from the pandemic. The ongoing challenge for RCÉ is to continue the development of a commercial greyhound racing industry built on a consumer-focused and high-quality entertainment product that meets the highest possible international regulatory and welfare standards. I look forward to working with the RCÉ board and staff and the wider greyhound community to explore new opportunities for the development and growth of our industry.

I again thank the committee for affording RCÉ the opportunity to address it. My colleagues and I look forward to answering any questions members may have. If additional information arising from the meeting is required, we will be happy to provide it as swiftly as we can.

I thank the witnesses for the comprehensive opening statement.

I welcome the representatives from RCÉ and thank them for a comprehensive submission. We dealt a lot with greyhounds in the last committee. I think the Chairman, who is absent at the moment, and I are the only two survivors from that committee. There was much controversy at the time when we did the pre-legislative scrutiny of the 2019 Act. There may have been a change in RCÉ personnel, but the witnesses represent the same body.

I welcome the work they have done on the traceability system. That was a major issue. It reads as if it will do what it says on the tin and will help matters. As a suckler farmer, I agree with the comparison. The calves and cattle of Ireland are more accounted for and more easily traced than human beings. If one can aspire to that standard, the goal is definitely being achieved. Before the new traceability system, a number of greyhounds were untraceable in the system. Will the witnesses give an update on those untraceable dogs that were discussed previously? Where are they? What progress has been made in overcoming the issue?

The witnesses stated that Greyhound Racing Ireland has six foster care homes and that two more are in the tender process. Are many more places showing interest? Certain individuals have contacted me to state that it is a prolonged, slow process and it takes a long time to get a premises through that tender. More people might be willing to become foster care homes if the paraphernalia about being accepted were cut through a little quicker. They seem to lose interest as time goes on. Only two are being negotiated at the moment. Will they be sufficient? Are there many expressions of interest beyond those eight?

The witnesses stated they have made a submission to the Department or have been in contact with it about updating the 2019 legislation with regard to only a veterinary surgeon or officer being accepted as somebody who will euthanise a greyhound. Where are they with that? It is news to me. If there are changes to legislation, we would imagine that we would be among the first to hear about it. How long has that submission been in for? Where is it with the Department?

On the commercial side, I am involved with the Kilbeggan race committee. We have done much research since the pandemic and since things opened up. It is not just us, but nationally. There is a feeling that if we are to get people back to the extent that we want, we will have to provide open air facilities. People tend to avoid large, crowded, enclosed areas, which includes most greyhound racing, especially for night racing. The word on the racing circuit is to put up a marquee with a roof and no sides. People are conscious of going into enclosed areas. Have the witnesses found that? Can they provide similar facilities? Have they done research on that? Do they feel they would need to go along those lines to encourage people to return or to facilitate the new needs of a population that is conscious of the pandemic we have gone through?

Ms Dearbhla O'Brien

We are aware that people are very conscious of enclosed spaces, given Covid restrictions. We are fortunate in that we have an upstairs, a downstairs and an open area. It depends on the particular stadium, but we absolutely can facilitate entertainment in the open air. We are finding that in general, attendances are starting to increase again. We are starting to see group bookings and fundraising activity coming back too, as much as the regular punter. Attendances are at 81,000 in the year to date, which is kind of where we wanted it to be. We had budgeted for 70% of the 2019 level of attendance, with a budget of €323,000 for the year. Some 81,000 for the first half the year is not too bad. We had budgeted to be open from 1 January, with 2022 being a full year of economic activity. We lost the first four weeks because everything did not really reopen until the end of January. We are mindful and conscious of it and attendances are on our radar, as is facilitating attendance as people require.

A statutory instrument has been drafted and is with the Minister. We put a lot of work into it. It may be the second time we have drafted it, since it may not have been done to the standard required at the time, but now it is at that standard. It went to the Minister relatively recently. We hope it will proceed. These things can never happen quickly enough, as the Senator knows.

I ask our director of regulation to address the whereabouts and traceability of animals identified the last time. I am happy to talk about 2021, for which we have all the figures.

Deputy Jackie Cahill resumed the Chair.

Mr. Pat Herbert

I thank the Senator for his question. The chairperson and I are the two surviving members of the last party that was before the committee in 2019. My recollection from the last meeting is that the question of untraceable greyhounds centred around those that were exported rather than those domestically in Ireland. The UK provides the most significant export market for Irish greyhounds. The activity of greyhound breeding in the UK is limited in that 80% of greyhounds in the UK are of Irish origin. The figure for last year was 85%. There is very little breeding of greyhounds in the UK and it depends significantly on the Irish market. I emphasise that it is the responsibility of Greyhound Racing Ireland to govern and regulate greyhound racing in Ireland. These responsibilities do not extend to crossbreeds such as lurchers, which are commonly confused with greyhounds. We only advocate for the export of greyhounds to those countries with equivalent welfare standards to this country, the UK and Europe. We have gone on record to say that. We do not advocate the export of greyhounds to countries with substandard welfare levels.

It is abundantly clear to us that we are unfortunately not in a position to restrict exports of any animals, including greyhounds, to countries. We are obliged to operate under EU laws and worldwide trade agreements. Neither Greyhound Racing Ireland nor any other Irish regulator can be held responsible for greyhounds exported to countries which have welfare standards, from where they are subsequently exported to other countries. I advise the Senator that we are in constant and regular communication with our counterparts in the UK and Australia about these matters. Matters relating to greyhounds in Australia have been brought to our attention. We have investigated these matters here too. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to restrict exports of greyhounds. China was raised when we were last speaking. There is no live trade of greyhounds from Ireland to China unless they go through the UK. Our regulatory remit and controls under the Welfare of Greyhounds Act are confined to this jurisdiction.

The CEO mentioned the euthanasia Bill. The Senator asked about care centres and foster care centres. I defer to my colleague Mr. Fitzgerald on those matters.

Mr. William Fitzgerald

I agree that the time involved in the tender process for foster care homes can be quite lengthy. It is similar to any tender process. All the processes have to be gone through for the purposes of issuing a tender from a semi-State organisation. Once the tender has been evaluated, a period of time has to be given afterwards to give tendering parties a chance to appeal.

Once that period has elapsed, the contracts can be exchanged. It is quite a lengthy process. It would be a lot easier if a lot of the additional material could be cut through, as the Senator put it, but unfortunately it is required. I refer to stuff like tax clearance certificates and a lot of the additional paraphernalia that goes with that, which is all required. I share the Senator's sentiment that it can take time and be quite slow but, unfortunately, most of these things are required. That pretty much covers the care centres. Senator Paul Daly asked whether eight is sufficient. There is something of a line to be drawn. We have foster care centres, which are centres that prepare dogs for their forever homes. Many of these dogs will be rehomed abroad with credible rehoming charities. Then there are the greyhound care centres. We are currently in the process of confirming two of these. These will essentially be for rehoming dogs here in Ireland. There is a slight difference between the two types of centre. As I have said, we are currently in the process of exchanging contracts with regard to the care centre tendered for towards the end of December, the closing date for that tender process having been at the end of January.

Does Greyhound Racing Ireland ask for expressions of interest? Does it advertise for people to apply to open a care centre?

Mr. William Fitzgerald

Yes.

Is there a cap on how many it will sanction or license at any particular time or is it open-ended?

Mr. William Fitzgerald

The tender we advertised in December and January was for across the regions. There were four areas indicated. There is no cap on the number of expressions of interest or applications we can receive. Once we examine each one, we create a list of the preferred tenderers from those regions. That is generally how we tend to proceed. We do not necessarily put a cap in place.

We had hearings. I would like to correct-----

-----the record of the committee on that as Senator Paul Daly tried to undermine my position in the last committee. There were three of us here, not two.

It shows how much of an impression Senator Lombard made that I forgot him.

In that regard, I want to acknowledge the Senator's kind thoughts towards me but that is another story. I am very serious now though. We were here in 2019 and I will openly say that I thought the industry was on a cliff edge. I was very fearful for where it was going to go. I compliment Ms O'Brien and the board for what is after happening. Major changes have been made, particularly with regard to traceability. That element was a key issue. The Chairman, Senator Paul Daly and other members spoke about the bovine issue and how bovines had a traceability system put in place since the foot and mouth crisis. Literally within a few months, the same system was put in place here. That gives confidence in the system and in the industry. It has been the game changer. I compliment the CEO and the board on their hard work in moving that forward.

Will the witnesses give us an indication of how the board is set financially at the moment and how they believe it will go? Obviously, it has been under financial pressure with regard to sponsorship in particular. Will they give us an indication of any sponsors coming on board and how we are funding our major events including the Laurels? Will they also give us an indication of the interaction with the public? Figures as to how things are going were mentioned. An indication was also given that community groups, GAA clubs and sporting organisations are now again having sporting days and renting out the complex for race nights. Where does the board see the figures going?

Will the chairman comment on whether he believes the press has been fair to the industry over recent weeks, months and years with regard to the coverage of races? In some local newspapers in particular, you do not see any coverage. What work could be done in the short to medium term to ensure that local papers in particular pick up on major sporting events such as the Laurels in my part of the world? Does he believe there is a gap there? What message needs to be sent to get some support from the press on this issue?

Mr. Frank Nyhan

I was here for our last meeting and can confirm that Senator Lombard was too. I will take the last point, which was on press coverage, first. Obviously, we suffered a fairly dramatic decline in popularity in 2019. Some of this was deserved and some of it was not. Thereafter, the decision as to how to progress was our own. I believe we have done a relatively good job with regard to what we have done with the industry since. I am not sure that is always reflected in the coverage we get but the press is entitled to cover what it wants to cover. It is up to us to make a space for ourselves. I was delighted that the chief executive was able to announce that we are back on the national airwaves for the derby semi-final and final. That is a positive development. There is a bit of a disconnect between the coverage locally and the coverage nationally. There is still quite significant coverage of greyhound racing on local tracks in local newspapers and on local radio but there is not so much nationally. That is probably reflective of a view that was taken of us. I believe that will change but the onus is on us to change it.

I can probably take the Senator's question on finance as well. Our accounts for the last full year will be published shortly and will show an operating surplus of €3 million. The budget for 2022 is €1.3 million. We are holding €3.5 million from the Harold's Cross development money. It was agreed at the time of that stadium closing that the balance of the money left over would be used for capital investment. We intend to spend a large portion of that money on Shelbourne Park over the next 12 months. On an operating level, we are operating on a surplus although obviously with the very significant assistance of state aid.

Ms Dearbhla O'Brien

In terms of commercial activities, we have budgeted to bring in €6.5 million between restaurants, the Tote and gate receipts. That compares with €9.4 million in 2019, the first full year of operation. That is the revised forecast. We had originally budgeted to bring in €7.5 million but we opened very late and that first month is a big chunk of a quarter so we do not think we will make up that difference although we can see it starting to come back towards the 70% of 2019 levels that we had planned for.

With regard to GAA groups, fundraisers and getting crowds back, it was wonderful to see the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial cup. Some €20,000 was donated to six local Limerick clubs. We would like more of that. We are starting to see GAA clubs around the country making bookings for local fundraisers. We are still subject to some of the cancel culture. When someone hears about it, we start to get a bit of negative press from organisations that are anti-greyhound racing. The way to combat that is by continually improving welfare. If we improve welfare and demonstrate that improvement, it will come back by default. It is not about going out with a nice promotional campaign saying how wonderful we are. The industry has to prove it. That is our role as regulator. It is our raison d'être.

Mr. Pat Herbert

The Senator mentioned traceability in his opening remarks. This board recognised very early in 2019 that traceability was the only game in town and that it was absolutely essential to have a robust and accountable traceability system if the future of the industry was to be maintained. This board has afforded every opportunity and every resource to the development of the traceability system that was launched last January. The modus operandi of the traceability system is that, unless you engage with the system, you cannot be part of the racing industry.

The person does not get to race and is automatically suspended. One is effectively removed. By the way, one does not get prize money either. All that is withheld. That is on the clear direction from the board that this is where the industry has to go.

The Senator mentioned media information as well. The board kept itself very much aware of what was happening with regard to certain individuals throughout the last number of years who committed, let us be honest, reprehensible acts. I can advise the committee that 13 exclusion orders have been progressed by this board since 2018. That is indicative of a commitment to maintaining the integrity of the industry and ensuring its longevity.

I welcome our guests and the chief executive. I echo what some of the previous speakers said. I come to this as someone who is sceptical about the industry. I have consistently raised issues about State funding, including to the equestrian industry. I recognise that it is an industry, however. I read the submission today. It was clearly jumping off the pages that this is an organisation that had looked at itself, done a great deal of soul searching and confronted issues. That was clear in the style and the language of the report. I acknowledge that because it is very important. Ms O'Brien is right that a lot of it hinges on welfare. I recognise that it is an industry and a very profitable one. I recognise the positive fallout in terms of fund-raising and community engagement with the GAA. Who stands up here and talks negatively about the GAA? The potential and the synergies are enormous in sport.

There is substantial State funding involved. Every year the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine comes to both Houses of the Oireachtas and makes the case for it and every year we talk about whether we should divide this up, once and for all, and have two separate sources of funding. Perhaps there are good reasons for it not to change, but the Minister has not necessarily ruled it out for the future. That is something the witnesses need to keep an eye on. However, we have the same debates and at the end of the day they are all really about the issue of welfare. Ms O'Brien put her finger on it.

I refer to five key points contained in the written statement. First, it states that no healthy greyhound should have its life ended prematurely. That is a very positive statement. That jumped off the page at me, because that is not what the perception always is. I acknowledge that. Greyhound Racing Ireland is going to restore and build the image and perception of greyhound racing in this country armed with facts and the right welfare and care initiatives. Again, it is a very positive affirmation of its focus and intention, and that is important. Under the new system for registering greyhounds it refers to them being tracked at all stages from birth, including microchipping, racing career and so forth. That is really positive. Then there are the welfare inspections. Again, there is that recurring theme, and it is spot-on. Greyhound Racing Ireland has clearly identified that this is where the concern is. It is not always about the individuals in the organisation. Not everything we read about the individuals in the organisation is correct; neither is everything one reads about politicians always correct. I am conscious of that. This morning's newspaper is used to wrap tonight's chips, but behind that it can leave many people wounded and damaged reputations. That is a terrible thing to happen.

Perhaps the witnesses would discuss the greyhound care fund a little. There is also the statutory obligation to ring-fence that at 10%. Greyhound Racing Ireland has suggested it may go beyond that, which I am delighted to read and acknowledge.

Our guests referred to working on a five-year strategic plan. That is very positive and significant. Clearly, they must have an economic model because Greyhound Racing Ireland is a business enterprise. However, I return to what I said from the start. My major concern is about the welfare of animals and I recognise that Greyhound Racing Ireland is seeking to address that. It is an important matter. There is a lot of work to do and a lot of communication to be made to get that message across.

To return to the obligation relating to the State funding, what are the views of the witnesses? Do they think it should be broken up and that there should be a disconnect between horse racing and Greyhound Racing Ireland or do they think Greyhound Racing Ireland would be clever to stay with the status quo and that it works out better for Greyhound Racing Ireland? Do they have a comment or suggestion on that? Those are just a few thoughts. Perhaps the witnesses will respond to them.

Ms Dearbhla O'Brien

Should be we be broken up from the horse and greyhound fund? No, we do not have a burning desire for that. In terms of the use of State funds, I guess it comes down to whether it is a good use of State funds. I believe it is. I believe we should have more State funds when one looks at what it does in terms of welfare and where we are going. We will spend €3.6 million this year on welfare. That is up from €2.2 million in 2019. We are the regulator for the industry so we must have the resources to regulate, do it properly, hold people accountable and have zero breaches of welfare. We want to regulate and distribute a sport that is well run and that has the health and well-being of the greyhound at its heart. That is the first thing.

Is it a good use of State funds? Apart from the welfare, the money is used to run 14 stadia throughout the country which have their own little ecosystems and economies in and of themselves. These stadia generated more than €9 million in revenue in 2019. They provide jobs and contribute €132.3 million to the economy. It is an extremely good return on investment to the Exchequer, notwithstanding the great work we are trying to do in raising welfare standards and distributing a sport that is our heritage. It is as Irish as hurling and must be protected.

The separation from the fund is not foremost on our radar or on my mind. It is more that the funding is there and that taxpayers can see that it is a very good use of their funds. That is essential.

I hope I can remember the Senator's other points.

I got the gist of what Ms O'Brien is saying. I will return to two issues. One is independent oversight of the industry. It is all very well Ms O'Brien telling us all that and that it is hunky-dory and very nice, but we have to give reassurance to the public. I would like to have reassurance about the independent oversight of the industry, so it is validated independently and is not part of the old boys' network or any other network. I am not suggesting it is, incidentally, but I want to get that reassurance. We are here to ask a few questions so Ms O'Brien might talk about that.

The other thing is Harold's Cross stadium. Ms O'Brien will recall it, although if it was before her time her colleagues will be able to recall it. Many people were unhappy about that issue. Am I right to say that there was some suggestion that there may be some funding in terms of a dividend to the community in Harold's Cross in respect of the sale of the stadium? There was a great deal of concern in that community that it was losing something very significant, and about the reason it was losing it and the change there. I thought that, and I am open to correction if I am wrong. I am asking the question and I do not have the answer to the question I am asking, which is a rare thing in politics. Was there any commitment to the community in Harold's Cross with regard to the result of the sale of the property in terms of a community dividend or feedback to that community, which had a long historical tie to the industry?

Mr. Frank Nyhan

I do not think so. That may have arisen in the context of the next usage of the site, which was for Department of Education schools, rather than the vacating of the site by Bord na gCon as it was at that time. Our commitment was to use the funds to discharge a very substantial debt we had at the time and to put the balance into refurbishment. We have met or are meeting our commitments in respect of Harold's Cross.

I have to go to a vote in the House again.

Senator Tim Lombard took the Chair.

What about the independent oversight?

Mr. Frank Nyhan

As chairman of the board, I should say that we take our corporate governance responsibilities very seriously. The board comprises people from within and outside the industry who take their responsibilities terribly seriously. We are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. All our inspection reports are available online. Any corrective action we take against any person involved in the industry is published. Any adverse analytical findings are published. It is all totally transparent.

I am aware that the Comptroller and Auditor General audits Greyhound Racing Ireland. Indeed, I have looked at those reports.

I was talking about oversight in terms of welfare.

Mr. Frank Nyhan

Yes, sorry. Any action taken by the board is publicised. Any corrective action that we take against any person who has been found guilty of any indiscretion is publicised. All of the information is available online all of the time. We keep the records and they are all public.

Are the records up to date?

Mr. Frank Nyhan

Yes.

I will look at them later.

Mr. Frank Nyhan

The records are up to date as of last month. All of the traceability is conducted by an independent verifiable outside agency. All of the figures are verifiable.

I thank the delegation for a very positive presentation. Things look good for the industry. I wish it well and continued success in the next year.

Mr. Frank Nyhan

I thank the Senator.

I apologise if I cough as I am still suffering from a post-Covid cough. I thank the witnesses for their attendance. It is heartening to hear that the organisation is focusing on welfare. It will come as no surprise to anyone that I am not a fan of greyhound racing. I think the only way the industry will survive is by improving animal welfare standards.

The use of surgical artificial insemination is prevalent in the greyhound breeding industry and, unfortunately, now in companion dog breeding. A reply to a parliamentary question shows that over 400 female greyhounds underwent surgical artificial insemination in the past three years. We know that the procedure is banned in Britain. Representatives of the Irish Veterinary Council have told this committee that they are looking at this very invasive procedure. The first thing to consider before carrying out any procedure is the requirement not to harm any animal. Does Greyhound Racing Ireland favour a ban on surgical artificial insemination?

Ms Dearbhla O'Brien

I ask our director of regulation and our veterinary director to respond.

Mr. Pat Herbert

I thank the Senator for her question. In 2005, the then Irish Greyhound Board introduced specific regulations on the area of artificial insemination. The practices that govern the procedure in this country are subject to the Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds Regulations, SI 561 of 2005. Under these regulations, the board's remit chiefly concerns the issuing of licences on an annual basis on receipt of an appropriate recommendation from the Irish Coursing Club, ICC. As members will be aware, the ICC is the registration body for all matings of stud dogs in this country. The legislation covers how and where semen may be domestically managed or imported, whichever is the case, and how it may be collected and stored. The legislation covers a raft of regulatory provisions under various headings. It is important to note that while Greyhound Racing Ireland issues licences on an annual basis, it is the ICC that has specific statutory responsibility to maintain the records on the area of frozen semen implantation and artificial insemination. Such work is not the remit of Greyhound Racing Ireland.

On the actual process of implantation, semen is implanted in a number of ways, for example using straws containing chilled fresh semen. I defer to my veterinary colleague as he is abundantly more qualified to speak about the operation.

I am asking specifically about the surgical process, which involves administering a general anaesthetic and cutting open the female greyhound to implant semen, as opposed to transcervical or other forms of artificial insemination.

Mr. William Fitzgerald

There is no doubt that the surgical option is far more invasive. However, it holds a degree of benefit when canine bitches, including greyhounds, have particular difficulties in breeding naturally or using facilities like the transcervical method. Surgical insemination has benefits from the point of greater yields of fertility.

But not from the point of view of dogs.

Mr. William Fitzgerald

Correct, yes. The surgical insemination of greyhounds allows us to use semen from other countries, specifically Australia, where a greyhound is not standing here. I take the point that the Senator has made about the specific dog but from the point of view of the overall health of the breed, in terms of promoting hybrid vigour, the procedure has its beneficial uses.

Does that explain why 85% of British greyhounds are bred here and are Irish in origin? The procedure is banned in Britain from an ethical point of view.

Mr. Pat Herbert

I can advise that the proclivity of Irish greyhounds in the UK has been at that level for a long number of years. The UK has always depended on Ireland for the lion's share of its greyhounds and racing pools. There is a British greyhound racing studbook but it is extremely small and the number of litters listed in it is very small. Even before legislative changes took place in the UK to prohibit the surgical procedure the Senator has mentioned, the UK still depended on Ireland for its racing greyhounds.

My colleague has pointed out the industry advantages of artificial insemination. Some years ago, Dr. Donagh Berry, who works with Teagasc and is probably one of the most advanced geneticists in this country, completed a report on the proclivity of inbreeding in the Irish greyhound. A copy of his report is available on our website. He found that the Irish racing greyhound has several positive attributes regarding the level of inbreeding, many of which would not be unrelated to the importation of semen along the lines of which we have spoken.

In February 2022, a care centre in County Tipperary closed. I am sure the witnesses are aware of social media posts from the person who ran the care centre. Funding was provided to build the centre. Was it a purpose-built care centre?

Mr. William Fitzgerald

No. The original tender was advertised around the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020, just before the start of the pandemic. Greyhound Racing Ireland published a tender that stipulated the requirements it wanted in a greyhound care centre, but it was not a purpose-built centre.

Okay. Am I correct to say that the kennels existed and Greyhound Racing Ireland only funded the running of the centre?

Mr. William Fitzgerald

Correct, yes.

Mr. Pat Herbert

The structure was in existence beforehand.

Okay. Does the traceability system include all Irish tattooed greyhounds from birth or only the successful greyhounds that are registered on the race management system?

Mr. Pat Herbert

To provide clarity on the dataset, before we went about the work of the traceability system we met the providers of the cattle movement and monitoring system. We spoke to our counterparts in Australia and the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. We specifically spoke to people in the Irish Coursing Club about introducing an effective and robust recording and traceability system. No different from the cattle movement monitoring system, we had to draw a line on the dataset that was to be included. People have a certain level of expectation. If one goes back too far, the likelihood of getting accurate updates on what happened to greyhounds may decrease as one goes further back.

To clarify, the dataset for the current traceability system that went live in January 2021 concerns all juveniles microchipped from 1 January 2021. As members will be aware, the juveniles are microchipped by ICC stewards, who have the added benefit of being the operators of an authorised database under the microchipping regulations of 2016. That database is called MicroDog. RCÉ receives a direct feed from the ICC on those. It also includes the dataset of active greyhounds that are registered on the race management system, RMS. The RMS is our software for recording activity around the areas of racing and trials. The RMS basically records the form lines that one sees on a race card for every greyhound. Every greyhound that was in a race or trial from 1 January 2021, in addition to every juvenile that was microchipped from January 2021, is included.

But not from birth.

Mr. Pat Herbert

The date of birth is incorporated in the feed that we get from the ICC with the microchipping information.

I apologise, as I am only familiar with the microchipping system for companion dogs. The animal is microchipped when it is-----

Mr. Pat Herbert

Twelve weeks old, in keeping with the legislation.

Every greyhound that is bred is microchipped and registered on the database.

Mr. Pat Herbert

The same as every other canine.

Would Greyhound Racing Ireland have any objection to that database being brought together with others - there are four databases, including one for companion dogs and the Irish Coursing Club's database - so that the information is collected in a central portal? There are commercial concerns surrounding the other databases, but this would create a single repository of information.

Mr. Pat Herbert

We are not the operators of the MicroDog ID database, so that is a question for the Irish Coursing Club. The Senator mentioned that there were commercial sensitivities. There are other databases, for example, Fido and Animark. The Irish Kennel Club also has one. I would be loath to speak on behalf of the Irish Coursing Club.

Mr. Herbert would not have any major objection, though.

Mr. Pat Herbert

I would not, but I do not know that much about-----

That is okay.

My final question is on the media report of a 30% increase in greyhound track deaths. This significant increase is concerning. At 154, the number of deaths is the highest to date. Some of the injuries recorded are leg injuries. The difference here is that horses can be treated. What are the witnesses' views on this matter? Are we capturing the deaths at trials, including unofficial trials? Will the witnesses commit to having vets present at all meets, be it an official trial or an unofficial one? There is a concern that animals are getting injured at unofficial trials in particular, given that they are younger, and there are no vets on site to treat them and address the welfare concerns involved in transferring animals off site.

Mr. William Fitzgerald

If the Senator does not mind, I will take that question. She is correct about race injuries; I cannot disagree with her. The increase was very concerning. Were it to be repeated, it would ask serious questions of us as an industry. Greyhound Racing Ireland has taken a number of steps, even since the turn of the year. We have resurfaced a number of our tracks and engaged the services of a multinational institute called the Sports Turf Research Institute - it does a great deal of work in Australia and the UK on greyhound racing surfaces and horse racing surfaces and is an expert in examining moisture quantity, the camber of bends, etc. - to try to address the controllables. This week, the Sports Turf Research Institute is visiting three tracks around the country, which are the first tranche of work that the institute is taking on with us. From this point of view, we have taken measures to address last year's increase in injuries and deaths.

For the information of members, the numbers for 2022 had reduced considerably to the end of April. Approximately 72 dogs were injured and 24 euthanised. These figures are for race meetings.

I am looking at my notes, which I made because I wanted to catch all of the Senator's queries. She asked about the presence of vets at official and unofficial trials and the gathering of data. Since 1 November, all injury data have been captured on unofficial as well as official trials. To segue into the Senator’s final question somewhat, we do not have vets at all unofficial and official trials as matters stand. To a degree, the quality of the data differs slightly between official and unofficial trials because the people gathering the data are not veterinary surgeons and, therefore, it is not within their purview to give diagnoses. As such, the information is more at the bigger picture level. We ask them to indicate whether the injury is to a forelimb or hindlimb, whether it is a hock injury and if it is a back injury. We also have a category of “Other” if the person knows that the dog was hurt but does not know where. As I mentioned, forming a diagnosis is not within these people’s purview.

Regarding the presence of vets at trials, it is the case in the UK that they are present at official trials but they are not present at unofficial ones. Having spoken to colleagues in Australia, the number of official trials there is small. They largely refer to official trials as what we would classify as conduct trials. What we would classify as official trials are not classified in the same way in Australia and vets there are not present at the vast majority of them. The reason for this is that the information that both of those jurisdictions have gathered suggests that the risk of injury is far less at trials because there are fewer greyhounds, less potential for collision and less potential for injuries.

There is no disputing that some dogs get hurt, but it must be borne in mind that, in 2021, there were approximately 68,000 additional trials carried out on RCE tracks with just under 84,000 dogs. RCE does not physically have the resources to cover that level of activity. The Senator may be aware that trying to locate veterinary surgeons and veterinary labour has been tricky for some time. This has not been the case for just the past six months. Rather, it has been the case for the past ten years, and there is no sign of the situation changing in the immediate term.

In terms of making our resources stretch as far as they can, vets are present at races currently. If the available resources were to change, I would argue strongly for addressing the issue, but they are not present elsewhere at this point in time. Trying to make our resources stretch may be a bridge too far.

Greyhound Racing Ireland is collecting data on all injuries, even at unofficial trials.

Mr. William Fitzgerald

Yes.

Are those data linked into the traceability system? If there was an unofficial trial on Friday and an animal suffered a hock injury, would I be able to trace whether the animal had been euthanised at a later stage, continued to race or went into a care centre? Is this level of traceability available in respect of all meets, be they race nights, official trials or unofficial trials?

Mr. Pat Herbert

I will provide some context to the issue of injuries. The Senator referred to the 154 deaths last year. That was 154 deaths too many, as my colleague mentioned. Like so many others, our industry is not perfect. I wish it was, but it is not. Speaking as the longest serving member of the organisation’s executive, though, this board is committed fully to improving welfare standards within the industry. I would like members to know that when they leave this room.

I will give some context to the 154 deaths. There were 1,388 race meetings at 14 licensed stadiums, with over 15,500 races and more than 91,000 starters. My colleague mentioned the 351 reported injuries. They represented 0.38%. The number of greyhounds put to sleep or fatally injured represented 0.17%. That is still too much and we know that we need to improve. My colleague has mentioned the steps that are already in play to improve the figures.

Since 1 November, staff at trial sessions, including our racing managers, are reporting injuries sustained there. This information is recorded by an authorised staff member during unofficial and official trial sessions and reported to RCE. During such track activity, the information recorded by the authorised staff includes the location of the stadium, the date of the injury, the owner or trainer of the animal, whether it is an official or unofficial trial session, the name of the greyhound, the prevailing weather conditions and whether people were provided with the contact details of the nearest veterinary clinic. By the way, those contact details are available in all greyhound stadiums and access to emergency veterinary care facilities is made available in every weigh room. Other information recorded includes the location of the injury, a brief description of the injury, whether the injury was witnessed and how it was reported.

I can advise the Senator that the people most affected by those injuries are GRI staff because they take such pride in the maintenance of their surfaces. They have been trained extensively to maintain those surfaces. They take huge issue when a greyhound breaks down on a track. That is to their credit. I also advise the Senator that in the past two years we have specifically introduced an injury recovery scheme, which has been expanded recently. The scheme provides that up to €1,000 in the cost of veterinary fees can be recovered for any greyhound that is injured at a race or trial session. That is available to owners. Last November, we launched a code of practice for the care of greyhounds, which was signed off by the Minister. It contains general welfare principles, and covers responsible ownership, husbandry issues, hygiene, pest control, nutrition, healthcare and breeding. I will not list them all. The code that has been brought in contains a raft of provisions. The code of practice is specifically referenced in the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011. It is the minimum care that is required in the industry.

On the area of responsible ownership, as has been mentioned by the Chairman and Senator Boyhan, it is the responsibility of every owner in this country to think about retirement plans for greyhounds when they are finished racing. We will assist in the process, but it is the owner's specific responsibility. We are on the record as saying that people must start thinking about these things before they take ownership of a greyhound. It is incumbent on them to do so.

On traceability, I can advise the Senator that there are specific plans in plans for phase two of the Rásaíocht Con Éireann traceability system, RCÉTS. They will incorporate a raft of things, such as the uploading of euthanasia certificates for greyhounds. We have mentioned the statutory instrument that is being progressed in the matter. Phase 2 will also involve the recording of specific injury data at trials and races. We also envisage the introduction of the uploading of health checks for greyhounds in advance of transportation. Much of that will focus on the care side rather than the racing side. There is a body of work to be done. We have been driving the roll-out of the RCÉTS to meet the needs of the industry going forward. Phase 1 is complete, but is an evolving animal. It has to evolve to meet the needs of the industry. We are committed to the recording element of the RCÉTS.

Mr. Frank Nyhan

We will also know what happens with greyhounds.

The issue is whether the public will know. We are just advocating on the behalf of the animal that cannot speak for itself. I do not doubt for a second that all of these measures are being put in place, but I am reflecting concerns that we are hearing, namely, that people want to know that there is full traceability and that an animal is not suffering needlessly at a racecourse. I will take the witnesses on their bona fides.

Mr. Pat Herbert

I should advise the Senator that we have spent €48,000 in the past two years on emergency vehicles in the event of an animal breaking down at a track.

I am aware of that. It is just that I was here two years ago raising concerns about the Tipperary care centre. That seems to have come to fruition. I am glad that the contract has ceased. However, my job is to raise concerns and to speak up. I do not doubt the fact that GRI is making huge improvements. That is most welcome. Those improvements must be made if the industry is to survive.

On behalf of the committee, I thank the witnesses for their attendance. The way in which the industry has developed and changed in the past two or three years is a credit to GRI and its board members. I wish them the best of luck going forward. Perhaps at a later stage they can update us on their progress. I congratulate the witnesses on their performance today.

Ms Dearbhla O'Brien

If the committee requires any further information at any stage, I ask members to contact us and we will get it back to them.

Mr. Frank Nyhan

If, at any time, members of the committee feel that they would like to see one of the care centres, we would be delighted to see them.

Ms Dearbhla O'Brien

They would be most welcome.

We should organise a visit now before the Chairman comes back.

I did not even know I was chairing the meeting.

The joint committee adjourned at 8.14 p.m. until 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 1 June 2022.
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