Ireland’s greyhound industry is to be forced to table a business plan on an annual basis in order to be given state funding under the terms of a bill published by a Member of Parliament from the Green Party.
Neasa Hourigan has proposed a piece of legislation that would also seek to put an end to the existing model that allocates public funds to horse racing and the greyhound industry on an 80/20 basis. According to Ms Hourigan TD, it is not acceptable that the greyhound sector in Irelan gets its annual funding by default. She also highlighted that the bill does not regard issues associated with animal welfare but is instead aimed at bringing proper financial oversight and planning to the sector.
The sponsor of the bill further explained that the proposed piece of legislation seeks to remove the aforementioned 80/20 lock in a way that would see the percentage of state funding determined every year. Ms Hourigan suggested that the bill could result in larger state funding than it is currently allocated.
In addition, the bill seeks to require Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) to table a business case to the minister in every Budget session individually, which would be closely observed by competent bodies and authorities. In order words, the business plan presented to the minister has to be subject to scrutiny, and that would be the basis for receiving state funding.
Questions about How the Greyhound Industry in Ireland Is Run Also Asked
The bill that was unveiled by the Irish Green Party member also seeks to see the minister, who is empowered to roll the funding over to the following year, retain any unallocated spending. The proposal comes after Greyhound Racing Ireland faced questioning at the Public Account Committee over how the greyhound industry in the country is run.
As Ms Hourigan shared, a recent report commissioned by the local greyhound sector seems to suggest that this leads to massive losses for local people. Based on the report, she believes there is double counting of numbers in terms of the dog pool, pups, and exports. She further noted that, for the time being, it seems that the industry is all about breeding, considering the fact that approximately 85% of the dogs in the UK originate from Ireland. In her opinion, the local greyhound racing sector currently exists as a peripheral industry to the breeding sector.
When questioning the chair of GRI, Frank Nyhan, about the 80/20 split in state funding allocation every year, Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy described the existing arrangement of state funding as a “unique situation”. He shared that the Controller and Auditor General was unable to think of any similarities in the public finances of the two sectors.
Mr Nyhan further shared that every year, Greyhound Racing Ireland gets only 20% of the state funding regardless of the proposals, plans, or ambitions it has for potential reorganisation, reform, or expansion. This is exactly what the supporters of the proposed bill are willing to change.
- Author
Olivia Cole
