Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2022
781. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds that were microchipped and tattooed in Ireland from 2010 to 2021 and to date 2022, as recorded and maintained by an organisation (details supplied). [59103/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish Coursing Club (ICC) is the competent authority with regard to the maintenance of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book. The ICC has been responsible for the Irish Greyhound Stud Book since 1923 and this was further underpinned by the enactment of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958.
The ICC has informed this Department that it is not possible to assist the Deputy with regard to the years 2010 to 2020 whereby a segregation based on non-coursing/coursing greyhounds is requested.
Racing greyhound traceability, which is separate and distinct from the Stud Book, is now available through the Rásaíocht Con Éireann Traceability System (RCETS) which came into operation on 11th January 2021. The ICC is currently developing a traceability system for coursing greyhounds which is now in testing phase. This will ensure that, going forward, traceability of all greyhounds is captured under the RCÉ or ICC systems.
It can however provide a breakdown for the year 2021 and 2022 up to 23 November 2022 as follows:
Non-coursing (track) greyhounds: 2021: 11,651 pups. Non-coursing (track) greyhounds: Jan 2022 to Nov 23, 2022: 9673 pups.
The ICC has further stated that some percentage of greyhounds may compete under both codes, i.e., coursing and non-coursing from time to time, so a distinct segregation is not always possible.
