An Comhchoiste um Thalmhaíocht, Bia agus Muir Tuarascáil maidir leis an nGrinnscrúdú Réamhreachtach ar Scéim Ghinearálta Bhille Thionscal na gCon, 2017 Meitheamh 2017 _________________ Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine Report on Pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Greyhound Industry Bill 2017 June 2017 32/AFM/09 An Comhchoiste um Thalmhaíocht, Bia agus Muir Tuarascáil maidir leis an nGrinnscrúdú Réamhreachtach ar Scéim Ghinearálta Bhille Thionscal na gCon, 2017 Meitheamh 2017 _________________ Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine Report on Pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Greyhound Industry Bill 2017 June 2017 32/AFM/09 An Comhchoiste um Thalmhaíocht, Bia agus Muir Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine Contents 1. Chair’s Foreword ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... 2 1.1.1 Stakeholders .......................................................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Transcripts .............................................................................................................................. 2 1.1.3 Submissions and Presentations ............................................................................................. 3 2. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Background to the General Scheme ............................................................................................. 4 2.1.1 The General Scheme of the Greyhound Industry Bill 2017 ................................................... 4 2.2.2 Pre-legislative scrutiny ........................................................................................................... 4 2.1.3 Outstanding Reforms ............................................................................................................. 6 3. Key Issues of the General Scheme of the Greyhound Industry Bill 2017 .......................................... 7 4. Context of the General Scheme .................................................................................................. 13 4.1 Brief history of greyhound racing in Ireland ............................................................................... 13 4.2 An economic and social overview ............................................................................................... 13 4.3 Background of the Irish Greyhound Board (Bord na gCon) ........................................................ 15 4.4 Tracks and racecourses / stadia / recent infrastructural development ..................................... 17 4.5 Closure of Harold’s Cross Stadium .............................................................................................. 18 4.6 Current legislative overview ....................................................................................................... 19 4.7 Regulation of the industry .......................................................................................................... 23 4.8 Animal welfare ............................................................................................................................ 26 4.9 Rearing / breeding ...................................................................................................................... 26 5. Provisions of the General Scheme .................................................................................................... 27 6. Key Themes in the Written Submissions .......................................................................................... 33 6.1 Industry Governance and Regulation Stakeholders ................................................................... 33 6.1.1 Bord na gCon / Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) ....................................................................... 33 6.1.2 Greyhound Racing Integrity Ireland ..................................................................................... 34 6.1.3 Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeder’s Federation (IGOBF) ............................................... 34 6.1.4 Irish Greyhound Trainers’ Association ................................................................................. 35 6.1.5 Sport Ireland ........................................................................................................................ 35 6.1.6 Greyhound Phoenix Strategy Group (GPS Group) ............................................................... 36 6.1.7 North East Greyhound Owners & Breeders Association ..................................................... 37 i An Comhchoiste um Thalmhaíocht, Bia agus Muir Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine 6.2 Animal Welfare Stakeholders ..................................................................................................... 38 6.2.1 Dogs Trust ............................................................................................................................ 38 6.2.2 Greyhound Rescue Association of Ireland (GRAI) ................................................................ 39 6.2.3 The Irish Council Against Blood Sports (ICABS) .................................................................... 40 6.2.4 Irish Retired Greyhound Trust.............................................................................................. 41 6.2.5 Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) ............................................ 41 6.2.6 Veterinary Ireland ................................................................................................................ 42 6.2.7 Alliance For Animal Rights (AFAR) ........................................................................................ 44 6.2.8 Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports ......................................................................... 44 6.2.9 National Animal Rights Association ..................................................................................... 45 7. Appendices ..................................................................................................................................... 46 7.1 Appendix 1: C&AG special report into the development of Limerick greyhound racing stadium .......................................................................................................................................................... 46 7.2 Appendix 2: The Indecon report and the Irish Greyhound Board response ............................... 47 7.3 Appendix 3: 2016 Report of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine (31st Dáil & 24th Seanad) ................................................................................................................................... 50 7.4 Appendix 4: Terms of Reference ................................................................................................. 54 7.5 Appendix 5: Committee Membership......................................................................................... 57 Figure 1 Stadia / racetracks in Ireland .................................................................................................. 17 Figure 2 Stadia / racetracks with Bord na gCon involvement ............................................................... 17 Figure 3 Financial performance of the Irish Greyhound Board (2005-2015) ........................................ 22 Figure 4 Irish Greyhound Board racing facilities revenue only (2006-2013) by racing activity (€) ....... 23 Figure 5 Legislative Overview ............................................................................................................... 25 Table 1 Stakeholder Attendance at Committee Meetings ..................................................................... 2 Table 2 Stakeholder Submissions (Written Only) ................................................................................... 3 Table 3 Stakeholders contacted in relation to pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Greyhound Industry Bill 2017 ................................................................................................................. 5 Table 4 Key Issues Identified by the Committee ..................................................................................... 7 Table 5 The Dalton Report .................................................................................................................... 20 Table 6 The Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund - Irish Greyhound Board ........................................... 22 Table 7 General Scheme of the Greyhound Industry Bill 2017, as per explanatory document provided to L&RS by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine ....................................................... 28 Table 8 Indecon Review of Certain Matters relating to Bord na gCon (Summary) .............................. 47 Table 9 Recommendations of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, The Greyhound Industry (January 2016) ...................................................................................................... 50 ii An Comhchoiste um Thalmhaíocht, Bia agus Muir Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine 1. Chair’s Foreword The General Scheme