“The largest local authority in the state voted overwhelmingly to cut funding [to greyhound racing]” - Cllr Noeleen Reilly this week in a front page Northside People report.
Cllr Reilly told the newspaper that she is delighted the motion passed "so strongly" and that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councillors supporting her motion “sends a clear message to the Government.”
“There are some strong TDs in the Dail and we hope that they will bring forward the issue,” she added.
Read the full report at
https://dublinpeople.com/news/dublin/articles/2021/01/27/dcc-votes-government-stop-greyhound-funding-28202/
Cllr Reilly’s successful motion stated: “Dublin City Council calls on the government to immediately remove funding of €16.8 million to the greyhound industry and calls for a complete ban on racing. 6,000 dogs are killed inhumanely every year in Ireland as well as many more who suffer horrific abuse. In no way should this practice be tolerated and certainly not at the expense of taxpayers.”
Speaking during an online council meeting last week, Cllr Reilly outlined that her motion (originally submitted in June 2019) was prompted by the RTE Investigates documentary which exposed the horrors of greyhound racing in Ireland.
“The programme was horrific in that it highlighted what some had suspected for a long time - there is systematic animal abuse in the greyhound industry - an industry which is self regulated but propped up by the Irish taxpayer,” Cllr Reilly told the meeting, noting that greyhound racing “would not survive” without the massive annual government grants.
“The fact that the state can hand out such large amounts of money without any checks is criminal,” she said. “We are basically, in many cases, providing people with money to breed animals and then put them down if they do not meet a certain standard. Thousands of greyhounds are killed every year. It is alleged that the industry is breeding 1,000% more puppies than it needs which leads to large scale culling.”
She also pointed to “widespread drug abuse” and said that “we do not know what happens to many of the dogs when their racing days are over”.
“Ironically, rather than animal lovers, many in this industry are actually abusers of animals,” she added.
Condemning the ongoing government funding - nearly €300 million since 2001, including €16.8 million for 2020 and €19.2 million for 2021 - she said that the money would have been better spent on health and housing and tackling homelessness and domestic violence.
“Only for the Irish taxpayer, this industry wouldn’t exist,” she commented. “I do not believe that the Irish taxpayer wants to continue giving such large amounts of money to the industry. A RED C opinion poll showed that two thirds of the Irish public did not want this funding to continue, 16% did and 18% didn’t know. Many sponsors have pulled out in recent years from sponsorship of the greyhound industry but the biggest sponsor - the state - still remains.”
The motion was seconded by Cllr Cieran Perry (Independent) who said that although withdrawing funding would affect some jobs, “I’d argue that abusive industries cannot be condoned simply because of the risk of losing jobs.”
“The excellent RTE documentary exposed the reality of the greyhound industry and what I’m saying is that the state must stop subsidising greyhound abuse,” Cllr Perry said. “Cllr Reilly has already mentioned the question about the viability of the industry without state sponsorship. I think that’s a very good indication as to whether the industry should continue if it is totally dependent on state sponsorship, that there isn’t enough support from the general public to keep it going.”
Fianna Fail Councillor Deirdre Heney commended Cllr Reilly for the motion, describing it as “very appropriate”
“6,000 greyhounds killed every year, according to the RTE Investigates programme - this is completely unacceptable,” she stated. “There is huge amounts of taxpayers’ money being spent to invest in the greyhound industry, only for the greyhound industry to kill 6,000 animals. I am absolutely appalled that such a thing would occur and anything I can do to assist in the protection of animal welfare in our city, I want to do.”
Cllr Donna Cooney (Green Party) also spoke in favour of the motion, telling her fellow councillors that although the Green Party is opposed to the greyhound industry, they were unable to get a commitment to end the funding into the Programme for Government.
“We don’t regard it as a sport - it is a cruel industry,” she said. “It’s cruel on animals and it obviously doesn’t have the public support either. It shouldn’t be getting public support...We should be progressing as humanely as possible [so] that we don’t see the hurt of animals and the destruction of 6,000 dogs a year...”
Also supporting the motion was the Labour Party’s Cllr Dermot Lacey. “I know this is quite a divisive issue but I stand on the side of animal welfare and I want to commend Cllr Reilly for putting forward the motion,” he said. “I say this at a time when my own pet dog of 15 years passed away last Friday so I am quite sensitive about the issue of animal welfare at the moment. If we have 16 and a half million to spend on this industry, I believe that that money should be spent on animal welfare and animal care. I don’t see dog racing as a sport. Yes, there are jobs involved but I think we have to be more sensitive to the needs of animals and the animal community. I unhesitatingly support this motion.”
Cllr Hazel Norton of People Before Profit said that “the obvious fact that giving state funding to such an organisation for so long in such high volumes can’t go unquestioned.” She also drew attention to “abuse and lashback” received by those who have raised issues with the greyhound industry.
Pointing out that only “a very small percentage of the population” want the funding to continue, Cllr Tara Deacy (Social Democrats) acknowledged the work that party colleague Holly Cairns TD has done in the Dail to push for an end to the government grants.
“The €19.2 million that the greyhound industry receives this year will be more than six times what all animal welfare organisations receive in Ireland,” she observed. “Yet it’s animal welfare organisations that pay the majority of rehoming costs, etc. The ISPCA - the largest animal welfare organisation in the country has stopped engaging with the industry and I believe we in Dublin City Council should seek that our government reconsider funding and their relationship with this industry also.”
Fine Gael councillor, Anne Feeney, also gave her backing to the motion - “I know this is an issue that many people have many views on, and as Cllr Deacy said, an awful lot of good trainers mind their animals and have enjoyed this ‘sport’ over the last number of years. However, having said that, the welfare of animals has to be paramount here and on that basis, I’d like to support this motion.”
Sinn Fein disappointingly opposed the motion. The party proposed an amendment which, though acknowledging “abuse of dogs in the greyhound industry”, favoured the continuation of state funding. This amendment was rejected, with 36 councillors voting against it.
Cllr Noeleen Reilly’s motion calling for an end to the funding and a ban on greyhound racing was successfully passed, with majority support. Just three councillors voiced opposition to it - Nial Ring (Independent), Naoise O'Muiri (Fine Gael) and Anthony Connaghan (Sinn Fein). Fianna Fail councillor Keith Connolly abstained.
A big THANK YOU to Cllr Reilly for tabling the motion and to all the Dublin City Councillors who supported it. It’s now time for the Irish Government to listen to the majority and finally scrap the funding that is propping up this cruel, dog-killing activity.
Watch the RTE Investigates: Greyhounds Running for their Lives documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM
ACTION ALERT
STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING
Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland (formerly the Irish Greyhound Board) has been granted more than a QUARTER OF A BILLION EUROS, including €16.8 million for 2020 and another €19.2 million for 2021. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.
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/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
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/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
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/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alankellylabour
“Stop state funding to cruel greyhound racing” - Email all Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs.
Fianna Fáil TDs
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack@jackchambers.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; normafoley1@eircom.net; joe.flaherty@oireachtas.ie; Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie
Fine Gael TDs
JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; colm.burke@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; Eoghan.Murphy@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie; neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.carrollmacneill@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O'Donovan@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie
Green Party TDs
Eamon.Ryan@greenparty.ie; catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie; patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie; francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie; neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie; brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie; steven.matthews@oireachtas.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie; joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie; marc.ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie; roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie;
ossian.smyth@oireachtas.ie
Sinn Fein TDs
john.brady@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Crowe@oireachtas.ie; david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; Pearse.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oir.ie; kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie; martinkennysf@gmail.com; MaryLou.McDonald@oireachtas.ie; denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie; imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie; donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie; aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie; louiseoreillysf@gmail.com; maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie; Brian.Stanley@oireachtas.ie; mark.ward@oireachtas.ie; chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie; martin.browne@oireachtas.ie; matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie; sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie; roseconwaywalsh@eircom.net; reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie; pa.daly@oireachtas.ie; paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie; mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie; thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie; johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie; claire.kerrane@oireachtas.ie; padraig.maclochlainn@oir.ie; johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie; ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie; darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie; patriciaryan975@gmail.com; pauline.tully@oireachtas.ie; vwynne@gmail.com
Labour Party TDs
sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie; duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie; gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Kelly@oireachtas.ie; brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie
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
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)
Source: Department of Agriculture