The office of Green Party Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman has claimed there is “no action the Minister can take” in relation to Greyhound Racing Ireland’s shameful targeting of children.
ICABS had urged Minister O’Gorman to act to stop the semi-state body trying to lure minors into its gambling venues where dogs suffer and die.
In our appeal, we referred to a speech by President Michael D Higgins in which he warned of the dangers of gambling addiction, stating “gambling advertisements are so dangerous and have done so much damage to families and have done so much damage to individuals”.
“Youngsters are considered to be most at risk to the gambling industry, of which greyhound racing is a part,” we told Minister O’Gorman. “We trust you will agree that, with gambling addiction an ever growing problem in Ireland, it is completely unacceptable for a semi-state body to encourage children to visit gambling venues. We urge you to act to stop these promotions and insist that greyhound tracks are off-limits to youngsters.”
“We also renew our appeal to you and your colleagues in government to completely stop the funding that is propping up cruel greyhound racing, an activity which causes much suffering and death to dogs and which our national tourism bodies Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland have both stopped promoting due to fears it damages Ireland's international image,” we added.
Despite being gambling venues where dogs can be heard crying out in agony when they suffer injuries, Greyhound Racing Ireland tracks have tried to lure kids in with offers of toy vouchers, free meals, face painting and colouring competitions.
In a 5-year strategic plan, Greyhound Racing Ireland stressed the importance of "encouragement of the younger generation as spectators and regular attendees at greyhound race meetings".
On a "Go Greyhound Racing" website, GRI has in the past encouraged parents to introduce their children to racing, saying "going greyhound racing is something totally different, especially if your children haven’t done anything like it before. It gives them something new to look forward to and perhaps even a new hobby to embrace."
Tracks have also tried to attract youngsters to racing via primary school and GAA club fundraisers and families have been asked to consider choosing tracks as venues for communion and confirmation parties, with the offer of "a €5 Toy Store Voucher for the Communion/Confirmation Child", a free meal and "Communion/Confirmation child's name in the race programme".
Minister O’Gorman’s predecessor, Katherine Zappone TD, also disregarded appeals to take action.
Earlier this year, Senator Lynn Boylan condemned Greyhound Racing Ireland’s targeting of children by advertising Holy Communion greyhound racing parties on its website. Speaking during a Seanad debate on the Future of Gambling Regulation (23 April 2021), Senator Boylan commented: “I would encourage the [Minister of State at the Department of Justice] to go on Greyhound Racing Ireland’s website...dog tracks are still continuing to offer communion and confirmation parties to families with at-table betting. For as little as 35 euro per table, you can bring your family along for their communion. And it was only as recent as 2019, when the gaming and lotteries legislation was passed, that the child as young as the ones who are making their communion were able to actually participate in that tote betting.” The statement was made as part of a speech in which she described Ireland as “the Wild West of gambling” and noted that “problem gambling is a huge problem” which successive governments have “done nothing to reign in” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PXkS032Cio
Among the tracks that have presented greyhound racing as "family-friendly" is Mullingar stadium - one the worst in Ireland for greyhound injuries and deaths.
On its webpage, it has stated: "Greyhound racing is one of those rare occasions that all the family can enjoy together. And the fact that the races take place every twelve minutes or so means that children, in particular, have plenty to keep them interested - the kids can...have a ball watching the action".
Last year, Greyhound Racing continued to target youngsters. In a Facebook post, it encouraged kids to colour in an illustration of an Easter bunny next to a greyhound and forward it to its marketing department for the chance to win a prize - “We hope the Easter Bunny was good to you all. Don't forget our Easter colouring competition...Why not show us your artistic skills and you could win a family night out this summer ... #GoGreyhoundRacing”
ACTION ALERT
Contact the Minister for Children and urge him to act to stop Greyhound Racing Ireland targeting children through communion/confirmation party promotions, colouring competitions and school and sports club fundraisers. Tell him that gambling venues where dogs suffer and die could never be considered family-friendly and should be shut down.
Roderic O’Gorman TD (Green Party)
Minister for Children
Tel: 01-647 3000
Email: minister@dcya.gov.ie
https://twitter.com/rodericogorman
https://www.facebook.com/RodericOG
STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING
Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland / 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
Email “Stop state funding to cruel greyhound racing” to 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; 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; ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Please support our campaign with a donation
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Watch RTE’s award-winning "Greyhounds Running For Their Lives" documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM