In a speech at the "Ban export of Irish greyhounds to China" demonstration (June 2nd, Dublin), Marion Fitzgibbon of Limerick Animal Welfare condemned the Department of Agriculture for keeping the greyhound industry afloat with massive annual grants. "Every Christmas, [the Department of Agriculture] are giving about 15 million euro to the greyhound industry," she told hundreds of gathered protesters. "Under the Horse and Greyhound fund, they got 14.8 million euro last year. They continued to give these huge grants to the greyhound industry right through the recession when children were left without money, the elderly were neglected, everybody was neglected. They continued to give between 11 and 15 million every year." "The industry is bankrupt already but they get bailed out every Christmas. If the Department of Agriculture would stop these insane grants to the industry, the industry would die. We wouldn't have to kill it," she added, to huge cheers and applause. Watch Marion's full speech at https://www.facebook.com/gavin.erickson.54/videos/vb.744132627/10154260215757628/?type=2&theater ACTION ALERT Urge the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) and Department of Agriculture Ministers to stop giving grants to the greyhound industry. An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny Department of the Taoiseach, Government Buildings, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2 Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020 Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie Michael Creed TD Minister for Agriculture Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Email: michael.creed@oir.ie Tel: +353 (0)1-607 2000 or LoCall 1890-200510. Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelcreedtd Tweet to: @creedcnw Andrew Doyle TD, Dail Eireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: +353 (0)1 618 3611 Email: andrew.doyle@oireachtas.ie Leave a comment on Facebook: AndrewDoyleTD Tweet to: @ADoyleTD