"I am no fan of greyhound racing. Personally it is not my bag. I do not like rugby either but at least rugby players get a choice in the matter of participating": Senator Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) speaking during a Seanad Eireann debate on the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2020 (25 November 2020). Thank you to Senator Boylan for voting against the fund which grants another €96 million of taxpayers’ money to horse and greyhound racing for 2021.
During her speech, Senator Boylan noted that there are "serious issues around animal welfare" in greyhound racing, "attendance at race meetings has dropped by 55% since 2008” and “social gatherings [at greyhound tracks] are becoming less popular in workplaces and for communion, confirmation and birthday parties [because] people are being turned off by the issues of animal welfare”.
“It is ridiculous that we give public money to an industry that deliberately overbreeds and then praises themselves for using the same public money to address the consequences of the overbreeding," she stated, adding that the €2.4 million increase in funding to greyhound racing should be redirected to "animal welfare organisations who are doing incredible work on a pittance".
The funding was shamefully supported by a majority of Senators - including those from Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party.
Sinn Fein, Labour Party and some Independent Senators opposed the funding.
Watch the full debate at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4jfXiHPcJ0
Read a transcript of the debate at
https://www.kildarestreet.com/sendebates/?id=2020-11-25a.168
Scroll down to see who voted for and against the funding.
Tá - Voted in favour of €96 million in funding to horse and greyhound racing
Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael), Niall Blaney (Fianna Fáil), Paddy Burke (Fine Gael), Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael), Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fáil), Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael), Pat Casey (Fianna Fáil), Shane Cassells (Fianna Fáil), Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fáil), Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Fianna Fáil), Martin Conway (Fine Gael), Ollie Crowe (Fianna Fáil), John Cummins (Fine Gael), Emer Currie (Fine Gael), Paul Daly (Fianna Fail), Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fáil), Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael), Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fáil), Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fáil), Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fáil), Róisín Garvey (Green Party), Pippa Hackett (Green Party), Sharon Keogan (Independent), Seán Kyne (Fine Gael), Vincent P Martin (Green Party), John McGahon (Fine Gael), Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fáil), Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail), Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael), Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party), Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael), Barry Ward (Fine Gael).
Níl - Thank you to these Senators who voted AGAINST €96 million in funding to horse and greyhound racing
Ivana Bacik (Labour Party), Frances Black (Independent), Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein), Paul Gavan (Sinn Féin), Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent), Annie Hoey (Labour), Rebecca Moynihan (Labour Party), Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Féin), Marie Sherlock (Labour Party), Fintan Warfield (Sinn Féin).
ACTION ALERT
STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING
Another €19.2 million of scarce public funds has been approved for greyhound racing for 2021. Since 2001, greyhound racing has received more than a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money. Please contact your local TDs and urge them to oppose this funding.
Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Urge the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to stop the funding and back a ban on cruel greyhound racing
Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 4350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Alan Kelly TD
Leader, Labour Party
Tel: 067 34190
Email: alan.kelly@oir.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alankellytd/
Irish Government grants to greyhound racing
2001 €11,777,583
2002 €13,613,163
2003 €12,837,200
2004 €13,382,800
2005 €13,670,000
2006 €14,012,000
2007 €14,572,000
2008 €15,257,000
2009 €13,625,600
2010 €11,852,800
2011 €11,460,000
2012 €11,258,000
2013 €11,004,000
2014 €10,844,000
2015 €13,600,000
2016 €14,800,000
2017 €16,000,000
2018 €16,000,000
2019 €16,800,000
2020 €16,800,000
2021 €19,200,000
Total: €292 Million (€0.292 Billion)
Irish Government grants to horse racing
2001 €47,110,330
2002 €54,452,651
2003 €51,348,800
2004 €53,531,200
2005 €54,680,000
2006 €56,047,000
2007 €58,539,000
2008 €61,028,800
2009 €54,502,000
2010 €47,411,200
2011 €45,830,000
2012 €45,032,000
2013 €44,016,000
2014 €43,376,000
2015 €54,400,000
2016 €59,200,000
2017 €64,000,000
2018 €64,000,000
2019 €67,200,000
2020 €67,200,000
2021 €76,800,000
Total: €1,169 Million (€1.169 Billion)
Source: Department of Agriculture
Watch RTE’s award-winning "Greyhounds Running For Their Lives" documentary