The Minister for Agriculture has refused to say how much of a massive interest-free loan has been paid back by Clonmel greyhound track. Minister Michael Creed cited "commercial sensitivity" in reply to a Dail question from Dublin Fingal politician Clare Daly TD who asked him to confirm the size of the loan and the amount paid back to-date. The Sunday Business Post reported in 2015 that the amount handed over by the taxpayer-funded Irish Greyhound Board to the private company which operates the "loss-making greyhound track" in Clonmel was €250,000. As highlighted by ICABS earlier this month, the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders federation revealed that "Clonmel greyhound track is in serious trouble" and that the "track supporters club is being asked to pay wages and fuel for tractor". Defending the loan to Clonmel greyhound track, Minister Creed stated that the Irish Greyhound Board "is specifically empowered under Section 16(1) of the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, to provide loans for the 'improvement of greyhound race tracks, authorised coursing grounds and the amenities thereof' and for any other purpose conducive to the improvement and development of the industry." The Irish greyhound industry is currently getting over €300,000 of taxpayers' money EVERY WEEK as part of its €16 million government grant for 2017. Since 2001, it has received around €250 million of scarce public funds. ACTION ALERT Email "Stop funding the cruel and crumbling greyhound industry" to taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, michael.creed@oir.ie, andrew.doyle@oireachtas.ie