Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has shamefully pledged to try and save Enniscorthy greyhound track from closure if he and his party get into government after the General Election.
An economic report commissioned by the Irish Greyhound Board has recommended the closure of four tracks, including the one in Enniscorthy.
Speaking to Wexford Today this week, Micheal Martin said that he and Fianna Fail would engage with those involved in greyhound racing and "put pressure on to get that decision reversed" https://youtu.be/rpp65O3sfa4
The statement by Micheal Martin - a Cork South Central general election candidate - is completely out of step with public opinion and an insult to those in Enniscorthy and around the country who want greyhound racing ended.
A RED C poll commissioned by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports has found that a two thirds majority want an end to the state funding that is keeping cruel greyhound racing afloat. Petitions urging the government to stop the funding - which amounts to more than a quarter of a billion euros to-date - have been signed over 300,000 times.
A petition calling for Enniscorthy track to be shut down has secured over a thousand signatures - https://www.change.org/p/animal-lovers-and-wildlife-rescuers-close-enniscorthy-greyhound-racing-track 90 greyhounds have suffered injuries there and 20 were killed by a track vet over the past five years alone, sickening Irish Greyhound Board statistics show.
Despite the inherent cruelty and killing, Fianna Fail has been a major supporter of greyhound racing. Along with Fine Gael and the Labour Party, Fianna Fail's TDs have repeatedly voted in favour of the massive state grants to the Irish Greyhound Board. They continued to do so, even after the shocking RTE Investigates programme revealed that 6,000 greyhounds are killed every year because they are not fast enough to win races - these include dogs shot in the head and dumped in skips. Other greyhounds are doped, mutilated, dumped and exported to countries like China, a country where greyhounds are boiled alive, beaten and hung on hooks at meat markets.
WATCH RTE Investigates: Greyhounds Running for Their Lives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM
In June 2018, Micheal Martin TD supported a party fundraiser at Shelbourne Park stadium where he was "guest of honour" at the "Dublin Fianna Fáil Social Night and Fundraiser" (organised by Dublin Fingal TD Darragh O'Brien). The evening was promoted on the Fianna Fail website as "a great social event for members and supporters of the Party". "Always wanted to own a greyhound?" the party asked supporters ahead of the fundraiser. "Well for one night only you can nominate a dog for just €50 which also includes entry on the night. If your dog wins their race, you win €70."
In the past, Micheal Martin has rejected calls for a ban on cruel hare coursing and foxhunting - bloodsports which 77 per cent of Irish citizens want banned. In 2016, he voted against Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan’s bill which sought to ban coursing. Speaking on RTE’s Questions and Answers in 2004, he stated: “Foxhunting has been a part of Irish rural life for quite a long time, since well before the foundation of the state. I’m not sure banning a sport like that is the way to deal with issues like this.” His comments came just five days after members of Parliament in the UK voted overwhelmingly to make foxhunting illegal there.
INJURIES AND DEATHS AT ENNISCORTHY TRACK
2019 (January to September)
25 injuries, 4 deaths
2018
27 injuries, 1 death
2017
18 injuries, 4 deaths
2016
6 injuries, 5 deaths
2015
14 injuries, 6 deaths
REPORTED INJURIES AND DEATHS AT IRISH TRACKS
2019: (Jan to Sept): 254 injuries. 86 deaths
2018: 353 Injuries. 121 Deaths
2017: 357 Injuries. 124 Deaths
2016: 427 Injuries. 139 Deaths
2015: 422 Injuries. 122 Deaths
ACTION ALERT
Urge Micheál Martin TD and Fianna Fail to update the party's animal welfare policies to reflect public opinion.
Micheál Martin TD
Email: micheal@michealmartin.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088 OR 01–618 3000
Fianna Fáil
Áras de Valera
65-66 Lower Mount Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 676 1551
Email: info@fiannafail.ie
Website: www.fiannafail.ie
Tweet to @fiannafailparty
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fiannafail/
Please sign and share the petitions
Ireland - Ban cruel hare coursing
www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing
Stop supporting the cruel greyhound industry
https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry
GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks
Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing
Groupon: Scrap your greyhound racing discounts
https://www.change.org/p/groupon-uk-groupon-scrap-your-greyhound-racing-discounts
Micheal Martin, TD and Animal Cruelty Issues
Micheal Martin, TD (Fianna Fail, Cork South Central)
In June 2016, Micheal Martin was among the 114 TDs who voted against Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan’s bill which sought to ban cruel hare coursing.
In 2016, 2018 and 2019, voted in favour of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations which granted €80 million/€84 million/€84 million of taxpayers’ money to horse and greyhound racing.
Speaking on RTE’s Questions and Answers on 20th September 2004, Micheal Martin, TD stated that he does not think foxhunting should be banned in Ireland. Responding to a question from presenter, John Bowman, Deputy Martin said: “Foxhunting has been a part of Irish rural life for quite a long time, since well before the foundation of the state. I’m not sure banning a sport like that is the way to deal with issues like this.” His comments came just five days after members of Parliament in the UK voted overwhelmingly to make foxhunting illegal there.
Find out the views of other Cork South Central candidates at
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2020/01/10/general-election-2020-cork-south-central-candidates-and-animal-cruelty-issues/
Please reject candidates who support animal cruelty and give your Number 1 vote to candidates who pledge to push for an end to hare coursing, foxhunting, greyhound racing, etc.
Find out the views of candidates in all constituencies on our special election page https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/general-election-2020-candidates-and-animal-cruelty-issues/
#GE2020 #GeneralElection2020