A community group trying to raise money for food hampers and life-saving defibrillators is today fundraising in the car park of a greyhound track which benefits from multi-million euro government grants.
Cork Lions Club is holding a drive-in bingo event in the parking lot of Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium to raise funds.
The club told a member of the public that money is “urgently needed to allow us provide our much needed charity commitments to the people of Cork”. This includes purchasing “defibrillators which have saved lives, face visors for our frontline workers and hundreds of food hampers to families as part of our Annual Christmas Food Appeal.”
What an outrage that fundraising groups are forced to spend valuable time and effort raising money, when cruel greyhound racing automatically receives millions of euros of taxpayers’ money every year from the government.
While Cork Lions Club and similar groups and charities around the country struggle to fund their important work, the government hands out vast amounts to the Irish Greyhound Board every year.
Since 2001, the IGB has been given more than a quarter of a billion euros to support its cruel, dog-killing activity. This includes €16.8 million for 2020 - the equivalent of €323,076 for every week of the year.
The government has continued to prop up greyhound racing, despite a RED C opinion poll showing that a two thirds majority of Irish adults want the funding to stop.
Former Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has attempted to present greyhound tracks in a positive light, pointing to their hosting of fundraisers for “charitable organisations such as schools, clubs, healthcare charities and community projects”. But the reality is that there would be no need for such fundraisers if the government stopped squandering money on the dying greyhound “industry” and instead channelled it into the many worthy charities and clubs crying out for support.
Last month, the funding was condemned by Solidarity TD, Mick Barry (Cork North Central) who highlighted that while greyhound racing received €16.8 million in state funding for 2020, an underfunded Dublin refuge for women and children affected by domestic violence has had to turn away hundreds of families.
SEE ALSO
Greyhound tracks take money from charities
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2020/06/02/greyhound-tracks-take-money-from-charities/
Massive government grants for greyhound racing as domestic violence refuges turn away hundreds
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2020/06/27/massive-government-grants-for-greyhound-racing-as-domestic-violence-refuges-turn-away-hundreds/
ACTION ALERT
STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING
Another €16.8 million of scarce public funds has been approved for greyhound racing for 2020. Since 2001, greyhound racing has received more than a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money. Please contact your local TDs and demand that they vote against this funding. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Contact Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and demand an end to state funding for greyhound racing.
Micheál Martin, Taoiseach
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste
Telephone: +353 (0)1-704 3630 OR +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: @LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Paschal Donohoe TD
Minister for Finance
Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie; minister@per.gov.ie
Tel: 01 6045810
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaschalDonohoe/
Tweet to @Paschald
Please sign and share petitions
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